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REV    THOMAS   ALLEN. 

1799. 


PROCEEDINGS 


IN    COMMEMORATION    OF 


THE  ORGANIZATION 


IN  PITTSFIELD,  FEBRUARY  7,  1764, 


FIRST  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST. 


^.«- 


-  / 


February  7,  i88g. 


PITTSFIELD,  MASS. 
PRESS     OF     THE     SUN     PRINTING     COMPANY. 

i88g. 


PRAYER  FOR  CHURCH  AND  TOWN. 


[On  the  125  Anniversary  of  the  Founders  of  the  First  Church  in  Pittsfield, 
February  7,  1764.] 

Lead  on,  great  God  !  lead  on  her  shining  way 

Our  fathers'  church  !     Oh,  keep  her  near  to  Thee 

As  she  grows  old  !     Inspire  her  sons  to  be 

First  Thine,  and  then  their  country's  gallant  stay. 

Breathe  through  their  hearts  on  this  its  founders'  day 

The  faith  their  fathers  had  in  Calvary — 

Unfold  to  them  the  immortality 

Of  dying  aspiring.     Lead  on  alway, 

Great  God  !     Lead  on  our  much  loved  town, 

Freeborn  twin  sister  of  this  ancient  shrine, 

Clothed  in  the  splendor  of  Heaven's  best  dress 

The  pure  majestic  robe  of  righteousness 

Lead  the'm  along  !  still  glorying  in  the  line 

Of  manly  dead,  who  won  them  their  renown. 

Morris  Schaff. 


ADDRESS. 

BY  REV.  J.  L.  JENKINS. 


T-lie  First  Churcli  of  Christ  in  Pittsfield  was  orgauized  Feb- 
ruary Ttli,  1764,  one  hundred  and  twenty-live  years  ago  to-day. 
Its  organization  ante-dates  the  Declaration  of  Independence  by 
twelve  years ;  the  adoption  of  the  Federal  Constitution  by 
twenty-four  years.  It  was  three  years  after  the  incorporation 
of  the  town  of  Pittsfield  and  three  years  after  the  creation  of 
the  County  of  Berkshire ;  thirty  years  after  the  organization  of 
the  church  in  Stockbridge,  twenty -one  years  after  that  in  Great 
Barrington,  and  six  after  that  in  Becket.  The  three  named 
churches  vv^ere  present  by  pastors  at  least  at  the  organization  of 
this  church.  The  settlement  of  Pittsfield  began  in  1752.  After 
twelve  years  of  struggle  and  of  the  ordinary  frontier  vicis- 
situdes, there  were  in  the  town  in  the  year  1764,  the 
year  in  which  the  church  was  organized,  between  three  hun- 
red  and  five  hundred  inhaljitauts,  most  of  whom  lived  in  log 
houses.  When  Thomas  Allen,  the  first  minister  came  here  in 
1763,  his  son  says  "  All  the  houses  of  the  village  were  made  of 
logs  excepting  half  a  dozen."  The  hundred  or  more  log  houses 
were  far  apart  and  most  of  them  were  at  the  western  or  eastern 
extremities  of  the  town.  To  accommodate  the  widely  separated 
inhabitants  the  first  meeting  house  was  ]3laced  in  the  center,  not 
far  from  the  site  of  tliis  building.  Its  story  and  that  of  its  suc- 
cessors will  be  told  by  another  this  afternoon. 

The  proprietors  of  the  settling  lots  in  the  township  of  Pon- 
toosuck,  held  their  first  legally  called  meeting  Sept.  12,  1753. 
According  to  the  warrant,  dated  July  30,  1753,  the  meeting  is 
to  1)0  held  as  soon  as  circumstances  will  adniit  at  the  house  of 
Mr.  Elias  Willard,  and  for  the  following  purposes  among  others : 
"  To  see  what  money  the  proprietors  of  the  settling  lots  will 
raise  to  procure  some  suitable  person    or   persons   to   preach 


among  ns."  "To  consider  of  the  luetliod  they  will  go  into  to 
erect  a  meeting  house  and  raise  snch  sums  of  money  as  they  shall 
think  proper  for  defraying  the  charges  thereof." 

From  a  manuscript  sermon  preached  Aug  26,  1S83,  on  the 
eightieth  anniversary  of  the  church  in  Pittsfield,  Vermont,  be- 
tween which  church  and  this  were  intimate  relations  at  its  Ijegin- 
ning,  I  make  the  following  extract :  ''  It  was  a  characteristic 
of  the  settlers  in  those  days  that  they  did  not  wait  for  pressure 
from  without  and  the  promise  of  funds  before  estal)li8hing 
churches.  The  settlers  themselves  were  ready  to  go  ahead  with 
the  work." 

Perhaps  the  Pittsfield  people  in  Vermont  learned  this  prac- 
tice from  the  Pittsfield  people  in  Massachusetts,  at  least,  it  was 
the  way  here. 

The  vote  to  secure  a  suitable  person  to  preach  was  passed 
September  12,  1753,  and  the  same  year  Rev.  Cotton  Mather 
Smith  was  invited  to  Pittsfield,  or  as  it  was  then  called  Pon- 
toosuck,  to  preach  as  a  probationer  or  candidate.  A  woi-d  or 
two  must  in  passing  be  given  to  the  man  who  was  the  first  choice 
of  the  people  here  for  minister.  Cotton  Mather  Smith  was 
born  in  Suffield,  Conn.,  Oct.  26,  1731.  He  was  twenty-two 
years  old  when  asked  to  come  here  and  preach.  He  graduated 
at  Yale  in  1751,  when  twenty  years  old,  went  to  Hartford  to 
study  Theology  and  while  studying  there  was  invited  to  take 
charge  of  a  school  for  Indians  in  Stockbridge.  It  is  prol)able 
that  while  in  Stockbridge,  he  was  called  here.  He  was  an 
unusual  man,  an  athlete,  a  muscular  Christian,  He  gained  power 
over  the  Indians  by  equalling  or  excelling  them  in  feats  of 
strength.  When  a  pastor  in  Sharon,  Connecticut,  he  went  in 
person  to  the  haunts  of  vice,  astounding  and  confounding  his 
guilty  parishioners.  He  was  a  Patriot,  served  as  chaplain  in  the 
Revolutionary  War,  contracted  in  the  service  disabilities  from 
which  he  never  recovered.  Pie  is  reported  to  liave  been  a  man 
of  great  refinement  of  mind  and  manner.  The  original  settlers 
here  were  discerning  men.  They  began  the  search  for  a  min- 
ister by  seeking  the  best.  They  spent  thirteen  years  in  the 
search.  They  survived  thirteen  years  of  candidating, — a  remark- 
able testimony  to  their  cohesion  and  endurance. 


The  naiues  of  certain  candidates  luive  deen  preserved.  In 
1Y59  a  Mr.  Clark  preached,  but  was  not  called.  The  next  year, 
1760,  Rev.  Ebenezer  Garnsey  preached  fonr  months.  It  was 
proposed  that  he  should  be  examined  by  the  upj^er  Association 
of  ministers  in  Hampshire  Count}^  This  he  would  not  consent 
to.  He  did  not  come  to  Pittsfield.  In  1761,  Rev.  Enoch 
Huntington,  of  Middletown,  Conn.,  was  invited,  but  declined. 
Rev.  Amos  Tompson  was  the  next  unsuccessful  candidate,  fol- 
lowed by  Daniel  Hopkins,  brother  of  Samuel,  the  great  divine, 
of  Great  Barrington.  Mr.  Daniel  Collins,  long  the  pastor  at 
Lanesboro,  was  next  in  order,  but  failed  of  settlement.  The 
difficulty  of  settling  a  minister,  the  Pittsfield  historian  says,  was 
theological  not  pecuniary. 

In  1763,  Thomas  Allen,  aged  twenty,  came  to  Pittsfield,  (the 
name  Pontoosuck  was  changed  to  Pittsfield  in  1761.)  The 
coming  of  this  young  man  of  twenty,  one  year  out  of  college, 
is  one  of  the  great  events  in  the  town's  history.  Much  of  its 
history  was  determined  by  it. 

"•  On  the  9th  of  December,  1763,"  (I  quote  from  the  History 
of  Pittsfield,)  "  The  town  decided  to  invite  Mr.  Thomas  Allen, 
of  Northampton,  to  preach  as  a  probationer,  and  his  ministry  in 
that  capacity  was  signalized  by  the  formation  of  the  church, — 
a  duty  which  it  seems  had,  up  to  this  time,  been  singularly 
neglected." 

Their  method  of  forminii:  a  church  was  on  this  wise :  Eight 
men  were  found  among  the  men  of  the  town  to  serve  as  Foun- 
dation Men — a  happy  use  of  Lord  Bacon's  term.  We  recall 
and  honor  these  men  to-day.  We  write  their  names  on  shields 
and  hang  them  in  the  House  of  the  Lord. 

Stephen  Crofoot  came  from  Belehertown  and  had  served  as 
deacon  in  the  church  there. 

Aaron  Baker,  William  Phelps,  Lemuel  Phelps,  Elnathan 
Phelps  came  from  Northampton  ;  Ephraim  Stiles  a,r\(\  Daniel 
Iluhhard  came  from  Wesffield  •  and  Jacob  Ensign  from 
Wethersfield,  Conn.  All  from  "the  fat  valley  of  the  Connecti- 
cut" as  it  was  called. 

What  is  known  of  these  eight  ^'- E'oundation  Men^^  will  be 
told  by  another  this  afternoon.     Upon  what  principle  the  eight 


6 

were  selected  1  do  iKtt  know.  Possil)]j  they  were  men  who 
had  made  up  their  minds  to  locate  and  remain  in  Pittsfiekl, 
while  others  may  have  been  nndecided.  They  may  have  been 
men  interested  in  church  affairs  before  coming  here.  They 
may  liave  been  thonght  l)y  their  fellow-townsmen  especially 
qualified  to  act  as  "■  Foundation  Men '"  and  so  were  chosen  for 
the  service.  Whatever  the  reason  of  tlie  selection,  the  eight 
men  chosen  as  ''  Foundation  Men,"  were 

Stephen  Ckofoot,  Jacob  Ensign, 

Ephrain  Stiles,  William  Phelps, 

Daniel  Hubbard,  Lemuel  Phelps, 

Aaron  Bakrr,  Elnathan  Phelps. 

What  is  more  important  than  the  names  of  these  men  is  their 
faith,  belief.  The  church  is  the  pillar  and  ground  of  the  truth. 
What  truth  had  these  men  as  that  upon  which  they  would 
found  a  Church  of  Jesus  Christ?  On  this  matter  there  is  no 
ignorance.  I  read  the  paper  signed  by  the  eight  "Foundation 
Men."     It  has  two  parts,  a  Creed  and  a  Covenant. 

"  February  7,  1764:.  At  a  meeting  of  a  number  of  members 
belonging  to  different  churches,  at  the  house  of  Deacon  Cro- 
foot  Feb.  7,  A.  D.  1764,  being  present  the  Rev.  Samuel  Hop- 
kins, of  Great  Barrington,  Rev.  Stephen  West,  of  Stockbridge, 
and  Rev.  Ebenezer  Martin,  of  ISTo.  4.  After  a  confession  of 
Faith  and  Covenant  was  drawn  up,  a  number  of  said  members 
did  then  and  there  unite,  so  as  to  form  a  Church  of  Christ  in 
this  place  and  subscribed  to  the  Articles  of  Faith  contained  in 
that  Confession  and  the  obligations  of  said  Covenant,  which  are 
as  follows : — 

A    CONFESSION    OF   FAITH. 

We  do  l)elievc'  tlial  there  is  one  God,  who  is  tlie  only  living  and  true  God  ; 
who  exists  of  Himself,  without  ])eginning  or  end,  infinitely  perfeet  and  glori- 
ous, and  unchangeable  in  His  Being  and  perfections ;  that  He  is  independent 
and  all  sutficient,  and  all  things  else  depend  wholly  on  Him  as  their  Creator, 
Preserver  and  the  Sovereign  Disposer  of  them.  That  this  one  God  subsists  in 
a  mysterious  and  incomprehensible  manner  in  Three  Persons,  distinguished 
in  Holy  Scripture  as  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghost ;  that  these  three  Persons 
are  one  God,  and  equal  in  all  divine  perfections  and  glory. 

That  God  has  made  a  particular  revelation  to  mankind  in  the  Book  we 
call  the  Bible,  which  is  a  perfect,  sufficient  and  imerring  nde,  given  by  in- 
scription from  God — and  is  the  only  rule  to  be  relied  on  in  matters  of  religion. 


That  God  exercises  a  moral  Government  over  His  rational  creatures  in  giv- 
ing laws  to  them  and  in  finally  judging  them,  and  rewarding  or  punishing 
them,  according  to  the  Holy  Law.  That  this  law  is  an  eternal  and  most  per- 
fect and  unalterable  rule  of  righteousness,  requiring  perfect,  persevering 
obedience  upon  pain  of  eternal  damnation. 

That  God  made  man  at  first  perfectly  holy  and  happy  and  appointed  Adam 
the  first  parent  of  mankind  to  be  the  head  and  representative  of  all  his  pos- 
terity ;  so  that  they  should  be  happy  in  his  obedience,  if  he  persevered  in  per- 
fect holiness,  or  fall  with  Him  into  a  state  of  sin  and  guilt  and  utter  ruin,  if 
he  should  transgress  God's  law.  That  our  first  parents  sinned  and  in  conse- 
quence of  this,  by  a  holy  and  wise  constitution,  all  man  kind,  their  natural 
posterity  are  born  in  sin  and  guilt  and  are  become  justly  deserving  of  God's 
wrath  and  curse  forever. 

That  God  has  of  His  mere  sovereign  grace  found  out  and  entered  upon  a 
method  to  save  man  from  the  state  of  guilt  and  ruin  in  which  he  naturally  is, 
so  as  at  the  same  time  to  maintain  the  honor  of  His  law  and  government,  by 
a  Mediator.  That  this  Mediator  is  the  Second  Person  in  the  Trinity,  the  eter- 
nal Son  of  God,  who  by  taking  the  human  nature  into  a  personal  imion  with 
Himself,  is  become  truly  man  and  has  by  dying  suffered  the  curse  of  the  law 
and  yielded  a  perfect  and  glorious  obedience  to  it,  in  our  stead. 

That  having  made  expiation  for  sin  by  His  death  and  brought  in  everlast. 
ing  righteousness  by  his  obedience,  he  rose  from  the  dead,  and  ascended  into 
the  heavens  and  is  seated  at  the  right  hand  of  God  to  reign  as  King  of  Heaven 
and  Earth  till  all  things  shall  be  put  under  His  feet,  and  is  able  to  save  all 
that  come  to  God  by  Him. 

That  every  one  who  believes  and  truly  trusts  in  Him  or  accepts  of  Him  as 
He  is  offered  in-  the  Gospel,  shall  be  pardoned  and  received  to  favor,  how- 
ever guilty  and  unworthy  in  himself  ;  purely  and  only  on  the  accoimt  of  His 
merit  and  worthiness.  Yet  their  obligations  to  perfect  conformity  to  its  pre- 
cepts are  not  in  the  least  removed  ;  they,  therefore,  will  not  be  sinless  until 
they  are  brought  to  perfect  obedience  to  God's  law  which  none  attain  to  in 
this  life  ;  but  are  sinfully  defective  in  all  their  holy  exercises  and  actions. 

That  as  the  promises  of  the  Gospel  are  made  to  truly  holy  exercises,  and 
none  but  such  can  have  any  evidence  of  their  interest  in  Christ  but  by  a  con- 
sciousness of  their  own  holy  exercises  and  by  coming  to  a  certain  knowledge 
of  this,  as  they  may,  they  may  obtain  an  assurance  of  their  own  salvation. 

That  Jesus  Clu'ist  has  a  true  Church  in  the  world  which  He  will  maintain 
and  build  up  until  it  shall  be  brought  to  its  perfect  and  most  glorious  state. 

That  at  the  last  day  Christ  will  raise  the  dead  and  judge  the  world  and 
doom  the  wicked  to  everlasting  destruction  ;  and  receive  the  redeemed  to  tlie 
happiness  and  glory  of  His  Eternal  Kingdom. 

(Signed.)  Stephen  Crofoot, 

Ephraim  Stiles, 
Daniel  Hubbard, 
Aaron  Baker, 
Jacob  Ensign, 
William  Phelps, 
Lemuel  Phelps, 
Elnathan  Phelps. 


A   COVENANT. 

We  wliose  names  are  hereto  subscribed,  looking  on  ourselves  as  under  obli- 
gations to  enter  into  a  religious  society,  so  as  to  form  a  Church  of  Christ  in 
this  i:)lace,  do  now  seriously  and  solemnly  acknowledge  our  obligations  to  the 
Lord  and  do,  so  far  as  we  know  our  hearts,  cheerfully  devote  ourselves  to 
God  through  Jesus  Christ.  We  do  renoimce  all  the  ways  of  sin  and  give  our- 
selves up  to  God,  choosing  Him  as  our  Lawgiver  and  portion. 

Sensible  of  our  own  blindness,  guilt  and  infinite  imworthiuess,  and  corrup- 
tion, we  choose  Christ  for  our  Teacher  and  rely  on  His  merit  and  w^orthiness 
alone  for  pardon  and  acceptance  with  God,  and  receive  the  Holy  Spirit  as  our 
Sauctifier,  heartily  embracing  the  way  of  Salvation  revealed  in  the  Gospel. 

We  take  God's  Holy  Word  to  be  our  only  rule  of  faith  and  practice  and 
solemnly  engage  by  the  help  of  His  grace,  to  conform  to  it  m  all  the  ways  of 
holj'  living,  and  we  promise  and  engage  to  maintain  and  constantly  and  faith- 
fully attend  upon  all  the  institutions  and  ordinances  of  the  Gospel,  particularly 
public  worship  and  the  strict  observance  of  God's  Holy  Sabbath.  And  we  en- 
gage to  maintain  family  and  secret  religion  and  faithfully  and  painfully  to  in- 
struct, educate  and  govern  our  children  and  all  that  shall  be  under  our  care. 

We  also  covenant  with  one  another  to  walk  in  a  church  state  in  all  mu- 
tual helpfulness,  watching  over  and  admonishing  one  another  and  faithfully 
and  impartially  to  exercise  the  discipline  of  Christ's  House  according  to  the 
rules  of  His  Holy  Word,  so  far  as  we  shall  understand  it ;  and  meekly  to  sub- 
mit to  the  same,  taking  constant  care  to  walk  orderly  in  all  things,  so  far  as 
to  give  occasion  of  offence  to  none. 

And  we  now  publicly  espouse  and  engage  in  the  Cause  of  Christ  in  this 
town  promising  to  be  faithful  to  the  same  and  to  endeavor  to  promote  it  in  all 
proper  ways,  especially  seeking  to  recommend  our  holy  religion  to  all  by  our 
strict  and  constant  practice  of  justice,  goodness,  temperance,  sobriety  and 
godliness. 

All  this  we  do  in  luunble  dei:)endence  on  Jesus  Christ,  praying  that  He 
would  ena])le  us  to  be  faithful  in  His  Covenant,  strengthening  us  unto  every 
good  work  to  do  His  Will,  working  in  us  tliat  which  is  well  pleasing  to  Him. 

To  whom  be  glory  forever.     Amen. 

Signed,  Stephen  Crofoot, 

Epiiraim  Stiles, 
Daniel  Hubbard, 
Aaron  Baker, 
Jacob  Ensign, 
William  Phelps, 
Lemuel  Phelps, 
Elnathan  Phelps. 

After  the  said  Confession  of  Faith  and  Covenant  were  snh- 
scribed  by  the  persons  before  mentioned,  a  lecture  was  preached 
at  the  meeting  house  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Hopkins  from  these 
words:    ii  Corinthians  3,  5,    "And  this  they  did  not  as  we 


hoped,  Init  first  gave  themselves  to  the  Lord,  and  unto  us  by  the 
Will  of  God."   ^ 

Afterwards  the}'  were  declared  to  be  a  Ckurch  of  Christ. 

I  am  indebted  to  Kev.  Dr.  Rowland,  of  Lee,  for  information 
that  makes  certain  the  authorship  of  the  foregoing  document. 
It  is  the  same  Creed  and  Covenant,  used  at  the  organization  of 
the  churches  in  Lee  and  Lenox ;  and  there  is  the  wholly  trust- 
worthy authority  of  the  late  Dr.  Hyde,  of  Lee,  that  they 
were  the  work  of  that  eminent  divine.  Rev.  Samuel  Hopkins,  of 
Great  Barrington. 

The  Creed,  with  some  peculiarities  of  phraseology,  with  insis- 
tence upon  some  minor  points,  is  for  the  time  and  circumstances, 
a  fair  embodiment  of  what  has  always  been  the  Catholic  Faith 
of  the  Christian  Church.  The  fathers  in  the  wilderness  believed 
with  all  saints. 

The  Covenant,  though  made  less  of  than  the  Creed  in  theo- 
logical discussions,  is  the  more  important.  A  saying  of  Prof. 
Schaif  is  pertinent.  "  A  Covenant  is  the  ethical  application  of 
the  dogmatic  Creed."  Of  the  original  Covenant  no  man  need 
be  ashamed.  Let  me  read  its  close:  "We  do  now  publicly 
espouse  and  engage  in  the  Cause  of  Christ  in  this  town, — prom- 
ising to  be  faithful  in  the  same  and  to  endeavor  to  promote  it  in 
all  proper  ways,  especially  seeking  to  recommend  our  holy  relig- 
ion to  all  by  our  strict  and  constant  practice  of  justice,  good- 
ness^ temperance,  sobriety  and  godlinesss." 

It  was  something  in  the  ])eginning  of  a  town's  career  to  have 
even  eight  men  solemnly  confederated  together  for  such  an  end. 
It  was  a  wise  procedure  on  the  part  of  the  founders  of  the 
church  to  sul)mit  their  work  to  men  well  reported  of  in  neigh- 
boring churches,  that,  if  approved,  it  might  thereby  have 
stronger  commendation.  Three  ministers  were  in  town  one 
hundred  and  twenty-live  years  ago  to-day,  and  two  of  them  were 
great  and  famous  men.  If  god-fatliers  serve  the  child,  this 
church  was  well  served  when  its  beginning  was  approved  by 
Samuel  Hopkins,  Stephen  West  and  their  less  famous  associate, 
Ebenezer  Martin.  Iso  bishops  living  then  or  since,  or  before  or 
now  could  impart  more  apostolic  grace  to  an  infant  church. 

The  eight  "  Foundation  Men,"  having  signed  Creed  and  Cove- 


10 

iiaiit,  in  the  house  of  Deacon  Stephen  Crof  oot,  came  wdth  others 
to  the  meeting  house  and  here  Dr.  Samuel  Hopkins  "preached 
a  lecture  "  from  ii  Corinthians  8,  5.  "  And  this  tliey  did  not  as 
we  hoped,  hut  first  gave  themselves  to  the  Lord  and  now  to  us 
by  the  will  of  God."  And  the  record  concludes,  "  Afterwards 
they  were  declared  to  be  a  Church  of  Christ."  Such  these  eight 
men  believed  themselves  to  be,  for  the  next  entry  in  the  record 
is  the  following : 

PiTTSFiELD,  March  6,  1764. 

"The  Church  of  Christ  in  Pittsfield  tliis  day  met  at  the  house  of  Deacon 
Crofoot  and  unanimously  made  choice  of  Mr.  Thomas  Allen  to  settle  with 
them  in  the  work  of  the  Gospel  Ministry. 

Attest :  Stephen  Crofoot,  Moderator." 

On  the  8th  of  March  the  same  year,  the  church,  without  a 
pastor,  received  William  Williams  and  Josiah  Wright  as  meraljers. 

On  the  18th  day  of  April  following,  the  church  ordained  and 
installed,  after  simple  primitive  usages,  its  first  Pastor.  There 
were  j>resent  at  the  ordination,  Rev.  Jonathan  Ashley,  of  Deer- 
field,  Rev.  Timothy  Woodl)ridge,  of  Hatfield,  Rev.  Samuel 
Hopkins,  of  Great  Barrington,  Rev.  Thomas  Strong,  of  New 
Marlborough,  and  Rev.  Mr.  Bidwell,  of  No.  1  (Tyringham,) 
besides  several  other  neigld^oring  ministers.  Tlie  first  prayer 
was  made  by  Rev.  Mr.  Hopkins,  the  second  by  Rev.  Mr.  Wood- 
bridge,  the  charge  was  given  by  Rev.  Mr.  Ashley,  the  right 
hand  of  fellowship  by  Rev.  Mr.  Bidwell,  The  sermon  was 
preached  by  Rev.  Mr.  Hooker,  of  Northampton,  from  the  text, 
Acts  XX,  26 :  "I  myself  also  am  a  man."  The  topic  being 
"  Christ's  Ministers,  Men."  The  last  prayer  was  made  by  Rev. 
Mr.  Strong.  •'  The  whole  was  carried  on  with  decency  and  in 
order."  In  this  account  there  is  a  noticeable  absence  of  Scrip- 
ture and  of  singing.  There  may  have  been  both,  and  possibly 
neither.  One  would  like  to  re-create  that  first  oi'dination  and 
installation  here.  The  place  we  may  put  before  us,  but  the 
men  taking  the  parts,  can  we  image  them  to  ourselves  ?  The 
young,  handsome,  alert  pastor  elect,  beginning  a  life  of  forty- 
seven  years  here, — can  we  not  seen  him  ?  We  can  hear  the 
sober  woi'ds  spoken  to  him  by  his  Pastor,  John  Hooker,  and  we 
can  hear  him  congratulating  his  hearers  that  at  last  the  Ordi- 


11 

nances  of  the  Gospel  and  the  means  of  Salvation  were  set  np 
in  "  These  borders  of  the  wilderness." 

Tlie  chnrch  needs  only  deacons  to  complete  its  apostolic 
equipment.  It  waits  for  these  till  Jannary  7,  1765.  When,  at 
a  meeting  lield  that  day,  it  was  voted  "  That  James  Easton  and 
Josiah  Wright  snstain  the  office  of  Deacons  in  this  chnrch."  It 
is  added,  "  They  accepted  of  the  election,"  setting  an  excellent 
example  and  worthy  to  he  followed. 

Thns  on  the  7th  of  Jannary,  1765,  the  Chnrch  of  Christ  in 
Pittsfield  was  complete,  having  all  that  belongs  to  a  chnrch  of 
New  Testament  times,  members  and  the  two  officers,  pastor  and 
deacons.  I  am  to-day  historian,  not  advocate.  It  belongs  to 
me  to  tell  the  actions  of  the  founders,  not  to  applaud  them ;  but 
I  cannot  repress  the  spontaneous  and  fervid  approval  I  feel. 
Simplicity  has  its  own  severe  and  impressive  grandeur.  It  is  no 
mean  story  of  worthy  exploit,  that  of  the  Jesuits  in  Canada, 
with  pictures,  crosses,  processions,  altars,  vestments,  chanting. 
I  witness  all  and  allow  it  exceeding  virtue ;  but  more  and  truer 
grandeur  has  that  scene  we  have  been  looking  upon,  wherein 
men,  plain  men,  self  moved,  and  self-sufficient,  covenanted  with 
one  another  to  serve  Christ  and  maintain  His  Cause  here  in  the 
wilderness  and  sought  and  secured  approval  by  truly  apostolic 
men.  The  scene  has  no  Ijrilhance  of  color,  no  movement  of 
chant  or  processional,  but  has  a  simplicity,  seriousness,  that 
makes  it  sure  of  being  immortal ;  forever  appealing  to  men  with 
increasing  force,  as  men  rise  into  the  life  of  ideas  and  of  pure 
feeling. 

The  first  year  of  its  existence  the  Church  added  to  its  orignal 
eight  members,  thirty-one  members,  among  whom  are  some  of 
whom  a  word  or  two  should  be  said. 

The  ninth  member  of  this  Church  was  William  Williams,  a 
clergyman's  son,  and  a  graduate  of  Harvard  in  the  class  of  1729. 
Mr.  Taft,  in  a  paper  read  before  the  Historical  Society  on  the  Ju- 
dicial History  of  Berkshire  County  says  "William  Williams, 
down  to  the  period  of  the  Revolution,  was  the  most  prominent 
and  important  personage  in  tlie  county,  north  of  Stockbridge." 
He  says,  also  ''  Colonel  Williams  was  of  sanguine  temperament, 
able,  enterprising,  active,  ready  with  his  pen  as  with  his  sword, 


12 

hospitable,  generous,  profuse  in  expenditure  and  fond  of  display. 
He  lacked  economy  and  foresight,  and  was  unfortunate  in  his 
business  enterprises;  but  he  seems  never  to  have  forfeited  tlie 
respect  and  esteem  of  his  fellow-citizens  and  to  have  fulfilled 
with  ability  and  fidelity  all  his  public  trusts." 

Another  man,  notable  in  his  day,  a  member  of  the  church, 
was  Israel  Dickinson.  He  was  a  graduate  of  Yale  in  the  class 
of  1Y58.  He  had  a  classmate,  an  early  settler  in  Pittsfield,  not 
a  member  of  the  church,  Israel  Stoddard,  a  man  eminent  for 
ability  and  standing.  Among  those  joining  the  Church  during 
its  first  year  was  another  Yale  graduate,  Woodbridge  Little,  of 
the  class  of  1760.  These  men  were  strong,  positive  forces  in 
the  town  and  of  equal  influence  in  the  Church.  They  did  much 
to  give  character  to  the  young  Church.  Among  the  "members 
during  the  first  year  were  Solomon  Dunning  and  wife,  (the 
wife  being  the  first  woman  coming  into  Pittsfield,)  and  Charles 
Goodrich,  of  whom  it  is  recorded  that  "he  drove  the  first  team 
and  cart  which  entered  the  town,  cutting  his  way  through  the 
woods  for  a  number  of  miles."  In  the  second  year  of  its  exist- 
ence, l^athaniel  Fairfield  joined  the  Church.  He  claims  the 
honor  of  first  turning  with  a  plough  the  virgin  soil  of  Pittsfield. 
Time  would  fail  me  to  tell  of  others.  They  weie  a  woi-thy 
company  of  men  and  women  who  settled  here.  They  were 
educated,  energetic,  enterprising,  the  very  kind  of  people  to  put 
in  stable  foundations  and  to  infuse  into  the  growing  social  fab- 
ric a  living  and  advancing  force.  We  may  well  be  proud  of 
them.  The  Church  of  Christ  in  Pittsfield  was  now  well  under 
way.  It  had  gained  foothold ;  better,  having  been  planted,  it 
was  striking  roots  deep  into  the  ground  and  gave  j^romise  of 
whose  generous  fulfillment  we  are  to-day  rejoicing  witnesses. 

The  first  minister  served  the  Church  forty-six  years  and  died 
in  office  at  the  age  of  sixty-seven,  Feb.  11, 1810.  The  eventful 
story  of  his  long  jjastorate  has  been  faithfully  and  graphically 
told  by  the  historian  of  Pittsfield  and  needs  slight  reference 
from  me.  The  times  were  troublous,  feelings  were  intense, 
differences  unavoidable  ;  but  the  experiences  were  not  in  vain. 
The  ardor,  vehemence,  l)rilliancy  of  the  young  minister,  his 
strong,  exultant  faith  in  men  wei'e  contagious,  overmastering. 


13 

His  doctrine  filled  the  county.  Ilis  example  provoked  inde- 
pendence in  tlionglit  and  action.  He  met  parishioners  not 
intimidated  by  him,  not  afraid  to  differ  from  and  dispute  with 
him.  There  was  a  kind  of  warfare  of  intellectual  giants  raging 
here  for  years  and  in  the  stress  and  strain  of  the  contest  men 
grew  in  power  and  self-reliance.  Would  you  trace  to  its  springs 
much  in  the  Berkshire  cliaracter,  you  must  go  back  to  the  times 
of  Parson  Allen.  With  all  his  genius  for  leadership,  he  found 
those  here  whom  he  could  not  lead.  By  the  power  he  exerted 
upon  them  and  by  the  power  with  which  they  resisted  him,  both 
j)astor  and  people  went  from  strength  to  strength.  Here  patriots 
were  made  as  they  must  needs  have  been  by  a  minister  intensely 
jDatriotic.     I  copy  a  single  entry  from  the  Church  Records : — 

"  May  4,  1777.  In  token  of  my  fervent  affection  for  the  civil  and  religions 
rights  and  liberties  of  my  Country  and — God's  Grace  assisting  me — of  my 
firm  attachment  to  its  cause  and  of  my  grateful  sense  of  the  manj"^  and  impor- 
tant services  of  the  Commander-in-Chief  of  the  forces  of  the  United  States,  I 
name  my  fourth  son  George  Washington,  who  was  this  day  Baptized  and  was 
born  April  22,  Tuesday,  seven  o'clock  A.  M.,  1777."' 

Such  men  in  the  pulpits  of  the  country  matched  in  power  the 
soldiers  in  the  field. 

The  times  and  the  circumstances  have  made  Mr.  Allen's 
patriotism  prominent  above  his  piety ;  but  there  is  no  lack  of 
evidence  that  he  was  as  ardent  and  strong  in  faith  as  in  devo- 
tion to  his  countr}'.  Reviewing  his  life  here,  noting  his  influ- 
ence, observing  effects,'  there  is  no  questioning  the  extent  of  his 
power  or  the  beneficial  results  he  achieved  in  developing  a 
sturdy,  intelligent,  self-reliant  people, — a  people  conscious  of 
ability  to  manage  for  themselves  town  and  church.  In  consid- 
ering the  first  fortj^-six  years  of  this  Church's  history,  certain 
facts  merit  distinct  recognition. 

The  settlement  had  had  no  time  to  consolidate  itself  be- 
fore the  pre-revolutionary  excitements  began.  Springfield  is 
twice  as  old  as  Pittsfield.  Pittsfield  was  a  new  border  town, — 
the  field  for  excitenients.  All  sorts  of  questions  were  astir. 
There  was  dissatisfaction  as  to  ministerial  supj^ort.  Baptist  and 
Methodist  views  were  beginning  to  be  promulgated.  There 
was  abundant  opportunity  for  difference.  Add  decided  men  as 
those  of  Pittsfield  and  there  could  be  only  division.     It  came — 


14 

came  in  Parson  Allen's  day  and  its  healing  began  in  the  wisdom 
and  sacrifice  of  his  son  and  successor  Rev.  William  Allen  and 
was  perfected  nnder  his  successor  Rev.  Dr.  Humphrey. 

The  steps  and  sacrifices  hy  which  all  was  accomplished  must 
be  untold  by  me  this  morning. 

"  Blessed  are  the  peacemakers,  for  they  shall  be  called  the 
Sons  of  God."  This  some  count  the  final  beatitude,  there 
being  no  service  beyond  that  of  making  peace  and  no  reward 
beyond  that  of  Divine  Sonship.  Both  the  service  and  the 
reward  belong  to  that  rare  man  who,  coming  in  here,  of  two 
made  one  new  man,  making  peace.  How  wisely  he  did  his  work, 
all  contemporary  testimony  gives  concurrent  witness.  How 
true  a  reconciliation  was  effected,  every  root  of  bitterness  being 
cast  out,  years  of  heartiest  and  most  loving  accord  give  proof. 
Many  honors  came  to  the  man  of  whom  I  speak.  His  name  is 
held  in  dear  esteem  in  college  halls,  among  philanthopists, 
among  a  great  host  of  friends,  and  by  descendants,  proud  of 
his  blood  in  their  veins,  who  do  him  honor.  We  take  no  leaf 
from  all  his  wreaths ;  but  the  First  Church  of  Pittsfield  remem- 
l)ers,  reveres,  loves  Heman  Humphj-ey  as  the  man  who  made 
her  peace,  in  virtue  of  whose  benediction  there  can  be  no  more 
variance  or  strife  in  the  brotherhood  he  served. 

The  man  of  peace  was  followed  by  men  like  himself.  Each 
in  his  way  compacting  more  firmly  the  reunited  body  of  Christ- 
ian believers.  Time  alone  forbids  a  distinct  recognition  of  the 
services  rendered  the  Church  by  Mr.  Bailey,  Mr.  Tappan,  Mr. 
Youmans,  Mr.  Brinsmade.  Time  alone  forbids  my  noting  the 
steady  growth  of  the  church  from  ministry  to  ministry.  A  new 
order  of  things  was  beginning  in  Pittsfield.  The  railroad  con- 
nected it  with  the  world  outside.  The  intercourse  stimulated  in. 
dustries.  The  church  felt  the  motion  of  new  life.  There  was 
a  new  order  to  which  the  old  was  to  be  adjusted,  and  the  provi- 
dential man  appeared.  His  work  is  so  recent,  so  conspicuous  in 
the  memory  of  most  hearing  me,  all  are  so  familiar  with  his 
achievements  that  no  word  is  needed  from  me.  Kone  is  neede<^^l 
but  to  withliold  would  1)0  a  self-violeuce.  Coming  a  stranger 
and  as  such  entering  into  his  labors,  I  nnist  bear  my  testimony 
to  the  excellence  of  wliat  lie  did  for  tlie  church  he  so  long  served 


15 

and  loved.  This  most  peculiar  and  richly  jcrifted  man  will  be  of- 
ten during  tlie  day  brought  l)efore  our  minds ;  not  too  often  and 
we  shall  not  render  him  too  generous  homage.  We  are  amid 
his  works.  This  people  is  his  workmanship  and  may  I  say  the 
workmanship  honors  the  workman.  Not  all  the  praise  is  his.  In 
an  historical  sermon  preached  by  Dr.  Todd,  Feb.  3,  18Y8,  he  said 
"  If  ever  I  have  accomplished  anything,  ever  avoided  mistakes, 
ever  in  any  degree  honored  the  Master,  I  greatly  attribute  it  to 
an  influence  which  men  are  not  always  prompt  to  acknowledge. 
In  my  home  has  been  a  life,  swallowed  up  in  my  success,  will- 
ing to  be  unknown  and  out  of  sight,  unwearied  in  giving  en- 
couragement and  rousing  to  effort ;  prompt  and  cheerful  in 
concealing  my  defects  and  in  covering  my  deficiencies ;  kind  to 
apologize  for  what  could  not  be  approved ;  uncomplaining 
when  worn  down  b}^  heavy  burdens  such  as  few  are  called  to 
bear ;  more  than  ready  to  be  unselfish  and  to  wear  out  that 
others  might  jirofit  by  my  labors.  I  say  it  is  there,  in  that  life 
I  have  found  the  source  and  the  cause  of  all  I  have  done.  Oh ! 
wife  of  my  youth !  many  daughters  have  done  virtuously,  but 
thou  excellest  them  all." 

It  is  a  special  distinction  of  this  day  that  the  woman,  of  whom 
such  true  words  were  spoken  by  one  who  could  best  speak  them, 
has  been  spared  to  this  hour  and  lives  to  receive  the  generous, 
affectionate  tributes  of  those  whom  she  served  as  the  people  of 
her  huslmnd.  May  the  day  be  slow  in  coming  when  she  shall 
go  from  us !  May  the  days  be  many  which  shall  be  gladdened 
by  her  gracious,  kindly  presence.  The  Lord  bless  her,  keep  her, 
lift  upon  her  the  light  of  His  countenance  and  give  her  peace. 
This  prayer  we  all  make  for  her,  here  and  now. 

What  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  years  ago  was  small  in  its 
beginning,  has  endured,  increased,  not  by  the  ability  of  minis- 
ters, not  by  the  intelligence,  large  heartedness  of  members  ;  the 
Church  has  survived  and  grown  in  virtue  of  the  Life  incarnated 
in  it.  When  the  eight  men  here  covenanted  together,  they 
associated  in  Christ's  name.  To  them  belonged  the  promise 
that  He  would  be  in  the  midst  of  them,  with  them  to  the  end 
of  the  world.  Once  gathered  in  Christ's  name,  the  Church  has 
abode  in  His  name.     There  have   been  changes   in   terms,  in 


16 

usages;  there  has  l)eoii  no  swerving  from  Christ.  Wonld  that 
we  might  say  the  church  is  growing  more  and  more  into  Christ  its 
Head  ;  was  more  and  more  receiving  all  from  Him, less  and  less 
from  intermediary  agencies.  Because  we  hold  this  hope  faintly 
yet  really,  hecanse  we  know  the  fidelity  of  the  Church  to  Christ, 
in  its  more  than  one  hundred  years  of  life,  do  we  anticipate  a 
future  better  than  the  past,  and  have  firm  confidence  that  the 
fathers'  God  will  be  the  God  of  the  children;  that  He  who  was 
our  fathers'  Guide  will  l)e  our  Guide  even  unto  death. 


-  -■^f^yBiSail  iSars  JSBanhj  Sl^'^ 


-Cc 


c<cC 


THE    EIGHT 
FOUNDATION    MEN. 


BY  ROBERT  W.  ADAM. 


What  interest  it  would  add  to  this  occasion  could  we  produce 
upon  the  platform  the  original  eight,  the  "  Foundation  Men " 
of  our  church,  as  they  appeared  on  the  day  we  this  day  coni- 
niemorate.  How  delightful  it  w^ould  he  to  take  them  by  the 
hand,  listen  to  their  voices,  to  gaze  on  their  forms  and  features 
and  l)ehold  what  manner  of  men  they  were.  And  what  would 
be  theii-  emotions  could  they  re-aj^pear  on  the  scene  of  their 
lal)ors  and  unite  with  us  in  the  exercises  of  this  day  ?  Looking 
without,  the  forests  now  cleared,  broad,  graded  streets  in  place 
of  the  grass-gro  .vn  cart  paths,  elegant  residences  and  substantial 
blocks  covering  the  grounds  then  sparsely  dotted  with  the  hum- 
ble structures  of  their  day,  w^ould  they  find  sufficient  landmarks 
to  direct  them  to  their  former  homes,  and  within,  beholding 
these  decorated  walls,  these  carj^eted  aisles  and  cushioned  seats, 
this  assemblage  so  changed  in  attire  from  the  fashion  of  their 
day,  could  they  recognize  in  all  this  the  outgrowth  of  that  low- 
studded,  plainly -furnished  I'ooni  with  its  sanded  floor  and  wide- 
mouthed  fireplace,  its  plain  oaken  table  and  its  straiglit-backed 
chairs,  its  occupants  in  short  clothes  and  cue,  of  solemn  aspect 
and  determined  mien,  the  birthplace  and  the  progenitors  of  the 
First  Church  of  Christ  in  Pittsfield  ?  Such  an  interview  with 
them,  imagination  alone  can  give  us.  In  introducing  Stephen 
Crowfoot,  Jacob  Ensign,  Ephraim  Stiles,  Daniel  Hubbard, 
Aaron  Baker,  Elnathan  Phelps,  William  Phelps  and  Lemuel 
Phelps  to  yon  to-day,  I  propose  to  give  you  very  brief  bio- 
graphical statistics  concerning  each,  recognizing  the  fact  that 


18 

these  anniversary  exei'cises  would  l)e  very  incomplete  without 
their  introduction,  and,  on  the  other  hand,  that  an  extended 
genealogical  table  would  consume  time  which  might  be  better 
occupied  to-day.  For  the  collecting  of  what  I  have  to  read  to 
you  I  am  "largely  indebted  to  Miss  Kedfield,  Mr.  Taft  and  Jo- 
seph E.  A.  Smith,  through  his  town  history  and  through  per- 
sonal interviews. 

Stephen  Crowfoot,  one  of  the  very  earliest  settlers  of  the 
town,  as  well  as  an  early  settler  of  Belcliertown,  was  born  at 
Northampton,  in  1602,  went  to  Belcliertown  some  time  before 
1737,  and  came  here,  probably,  as  early  as  1749.  We  find 
record  of  a  conveyance  of  a  lot  to  him  in  1754,  on  condition 
that  he  build  a  house  eighteen  feet  square  with  seven  foot  studs. 
There  is  no  certain  ground  for  asserting  that  a  building  of 
that  description  was  his  residence  in  1764,  but  whether  it  was 
or  not  we  have  no  other  descri[)tion  of  the  temple  in  which  the 
first  meeting  of  our  church  was  held.  He  prol)al)ly  was  made 
a  Deacon  in  Belcliertown  as  he  bore  that  title  before  coming 
here,  though  the  Belcliertown  records  do  not  show  his  election 
there.  He  was  evidently  one  of  the  leading  citizens  of  this 
town.  -It  was  at  his  house  on  what  is  now  Elm  street,  east  from 
the  tannery  l)i'idge,  that  the  first  town  meeting,  as  well  as  the 
meeting  for  the  organization  of  the  church,  was  held.  He 
served  the  warrant  for  the  first  meeting  of  the  Proprietors  af- 
ter their  incorporation  as  a  Plantation,  and  at  that  meeting  he 
was  chosen  one  of  the  assessors.  He  was  one  of  the  first  com- 
mittee appointed  to  })rovide  for  preaching,  and  one  of  a  com- 
mittee of  five,  as  it  is  expressed  in  the  vote  "to  manage  the 
whole  affair  of  the  meeting  house,"  by  which  was  meant  its 
erection.  This  last  office  seems  to  have  been  not  to  his  liking, 
for  after  a  time  he  resigned  it,  but  his  resignation  was  not  ac- 
cepted. Possildy  to  "manage  the  whole  affair  of  a  meeting 
house"  was  then  and  always  will  be  no  easy  task.  His  enter- 
prise built  the  first  l)ridge  across  the  east  branch  of  the  Housa- 
tonic,  a  little  above  the  location  of  the  present  tannery  bridge. 
From  the  records  it  appears  that  there  was  a  succession  of  pro- 
posals and  counter-proposals  between  the  town  and  himself  con- 
cerning; the  erection  of  a  grist  mill  on  the  river  above  the  site 


19 

of  what  lias  more  recently  been  known  as  the  Yan  Sickler  fac- 
tory. He  did  put  np  a  grist  mill  there,  but  it  seems  not  to  have 
been  an  entirely  satisfactory  enterprise,  either  to  himself  or  the 
town,  for  soon  after  his  death  it  passed  from  the  ownership  of 
his  son.  The  reason  of  the  town's  apparent  disfavor  towards 
wliat  now  would  seem  to  have  been  an  almost  necessary  enter- 
prise does  not  appear.  His  story  is  that  of  an  active,  public- 
spirited,  trusted  man  in  church  and  town,  and  the  name  of  one 
of  his  grand-children,  a  worthy  Deacon  of  our  church,  will 
probably  be  prominent  in  another  paper  to  be  read  to-day.  He 
died  here  in  1772. 

Jacob  Ensign  was  a  direct  descendent  of  one  of  the  first  set- 
tlers of  Hartford,  Conneticut.  He  was  born  at  West  Hartford, 
in  1724.  From  his  twin  brother,  John,  was  descended  the  late 
Rev.  Horace  Bushnell,  so  long  in  the  front  rank  of  preachers 
and  writers  in  our  countr}-,  Mr.  Ensign  came  to  this  town 
about  1752  and  built  and  occupied  a  home  on  the  site  of  the 
dwelling  of  tlie  late  N.  G.  Brown,  at  the  easterly  end  of  East 
street.  His  land  extended  northerly  and  easterly  from  his 
dwelling,  and  the  pond  which  we  now  know  as  Silver  Lake, 
was  formerly  called  Ensign  Pond,  presumably  from  his  owner- 
ship of  the  neighl)oring  or  surrounding  land.  He  early  took 
and  maintained  till  his  death,  winch  occurred  here  in  1813,  a 
prominent  and  influential  part  in  all  pul)lic  matters,  whether  of 
church  or  town.  He  was  one  the  signers  of  a  petition  to  the 
General  Court,  with  Stephen  Crowfoot,  Ephraim  Stiles  and 
others,  representing  that  they  had  built  a  good  and  defensible 
o-arrison.  He  was  one  of  the  first  three  assessors  of  the  Plnnta- 
tion;  on  the  first  committee  appointed  "to  agree  with  some 
suitable  person  to  preach  among  us,"  and  on  a  committee  to 
dispose  of  the  appropriation  for  roads  and  bridges.  He  was 
elected  constable  at  the  first  town  meeting,  and  in  March,  1775, 
he  was  appointed  a  warden ;  one  of  a  committee  for  the  care  of 
disorderly  persons,  wdiich  latter  ofiice,  we  may  judge  from  the 
record  of  the  proceedings  of  the  town,  may  have  included  the 
the  care  of  tories  and  suspected  tories.  In  1767,  having  pre- 
viously bargained  with  Deacon  Crowfoot,  he  obtained  from  the 
town  a  grant  of  the  west  end  of  the  mill  dam  for  fifteen  years^ 


20 

conditioned  that  he  should,  within  one  year,  l)egin  and  exercise 
the  feat  of  a  clothier  during  said  term,  the  town  reserving  tlie 
right  to  remove  the  dam  further  down  the  stream,  if  it  saw  fit, 
at  the  expiration  of  Crowfo(jt's  lease,  in  which  case  Ensign's 
rights  were  to  he  transferred  to  the  new  location.  This  was 
the  l)eginning  of  Pittsfield's  woolen  manufacture.  Through 
the  kindness  of  Charles  L.  Ensign  of  Boston,  man}'  of  his  de- 
scendants have  heen  traced.  They  are  lai-gely  in  Ohio  and 
other  western  states.  One  great-granddaughter,  Mrs.  Calvin 
Carver,  is  now  living  in  this  town. 

Ephraim  Stiles  was  born  in  Westfield,  in  1699.  He  lived 
there  till  his  removal  to  Pittsfield  in  about  1757.  His  house 
was  at  the  corner  of  West  and  Ouota  streets,  on  tlie  site  of  the 
house  now  owned  by  George  Winchell,  formerly  known  as  the 
Merrick  E,oss  place.  His  name  appears  on  petitions  to  the 
General  Court,  and,  at  a  meeting  of  the  Proprietors  in  1758, 
he  was  made  one  of  a  committee,  with  Deacon  Crowfoot  and 
Sergeant  Jones,  to  hire  a  minister.  He  died  in  17G5,  the  year 
following  the  organization  of  the  church.  Two  branches  of  his 
descendents  are  now  living  in  Pittsfield.  He  was  cousin  to  the 
father  of  President  Stiles  of  Yale  College,  from  whom  is  de- 
scended our  present  pastor.  Thus  is  established  a  kinship  be- 
tween pastor  and  church  in  addition  to  that  relationship  so 
pleasantly  formed  twelve  years  since,  and  which  the  intervening 
years  have  constantly  strengthened. 

Daniel  Hul)bard  came  here  from  Westfield.  He  bought  a 
settling  lot  in  1759,  but  there  are  indications  that  he  was  here 
some  years  before  that  date.  His  house  was  on  the  site  now 
occupied  by  Nelson  Parker,  near  the  brook,  on  the  cross  road 
leading:  from  West  street  to  Stearnsville.  On  the  first  division 
of  highways  into  surveyor's  districts,  he  was  made  surveyor  of 
the  district  extending  from  the  west  line  of  the  town  to  the 
west  river.  He  is  spoken  of  in  our  town  history  as  a  wealthy 
citizen  of  the  ''  West  Part,"  who  early  adhered  to  the  whig 
cause  in  the  revolutionary  daj^s;  a  man  of  sterling  character 
whose  determination,  energy  and  place  in  the  community,  made 
him  of  eminent  service  to  the  cause.  In  May,  1777,  he  was 
one  of  a  party  in  which  were  his  son  Paul,  and  a  son  of  Ephraim 


21 

Stiles,  wlio  inarched  to  Kinderliook  to  look  after  "  inimical  per- 
sons"— so-called — that  is  tories.  One  of  the  commanding  of- 
Hcers  of  the  company  was  his  son,  Lient.  James  Hubbard.  He 
was  a  soldier  in  the  company  which  went  to  Fort  Edward,  Jnly 
7,  1777.  He  died  here  Dec.  1!»,  1777,  aged  63.  His  death 
was  the  direct  result  of  exposure  and  illness  incident  to  his  ser- 
vice as  a  soldier.  His  son,  James,  was  a  Deacon  of  this  church, 
and  from  the  marriage  of  Deacon  James'  daughter  to  John 
Churchill  are  descended  the  families  of  Churchill,  Francis  and 
Mannings  now  residing  here.  Two  great-great-grandsons  bear- 
ing the  name  of  Hnbl)ard  are  now  living  in  Pittsfield. 

Aaron  Baker,  a  descendant  of  a  prominent  ]!^ortliampton 
family,  was  born  in  Northampton  in  1726.  He  married  Je- 
mima Clark  of  Northampton,  in  1747,  bought  land  here  in 
1760,  and  moved  here  in  1763.  His  first  honse  was  built 
on  the  corner  opposite  the  school  house  on  the  npper  road  to 
Barkerville,  overlooking  the  site  of  Barkerville.  This  honse  is 
not  standing.  Later  he,  with  his  son,  Aaron  Jr.,  built  another 
house  farther  down  on  the  Hichmond  road,  the  first  honse  i^iow 
standing  beyond  the  point  whei'e  the  Barkerville  road  tnrns  off. 
Another  house  in  that  vicinity  is  now  occupied  bj-  his  grand- 
daughter, Miss  Aminda  Baker,  a  lady  of  eighty-fonr  years.  As 
showing  the  appearance  of  the  country  in  tliose  days.  Miss 
Baker  relates,  as  one  of  the  family  traditions,  that  her  father 
when  a  lad  was  sent  ont  with  the  cows  to  watch  them  and  he 
with  his  charge  became  lost  in  the  forest  and  was  finally  found 
far  over  in  the  east  part  of  the  town.  Just  before  the  removal 
of  the  family  to  Pittsfield,  Mrs.  Baker  called  on  Mrs.  Allen, 
the  mother  of  our  first  pastor,  and  seeing  their  "Young 
Thomas,"  as  he  was  then  called,  who  was  at  the  time  somewhat 
out  of  health,  said  to  him,  "Well  Thomas,  come  up  to  Pitts- 
field and  1)6  our  minister,  then  you'll  get  well."  His  mother 
replied  for  hiin,  "  Pittsfield,  that's  the  end  of  the  world,  he'll 
fall  off  if  he  goes  there."  That  was  Mr.  Allen's  first  call  to 
this  church  and  parish.  It  is  not  to  be  found  in  our  records. 
He  came  afterwards  and  there  is  no  record  either  of  his  falling 
off.  Aaron  Baker  was  a  man  of  repute,  prominent  in  town  af- 
fairs.    He  was,  with   Jacob   Ensign,  a  warden,  and  of  the  com- 


22 

mittee  for  care  of  disorderly  persons,  and  one  of  the  consoli- 
dated committee  of  correspondence,  inspection  and  safety. 
Al)ont  1707  lie  erected  a  fnllins^  mill  in  what  is  now  Barker- 
ville,  the  commencement  of  what  lias  since  been  so  important 
an  industry  in  that  ])art  of  the  town.     He  died  in  1802. 

William  and  Elnathan  P]ielj)s,  brothers,  were  I)orn  in  North- 
liampton,  the  one  in  1781,  the  other  in  1734.  They  were  of 
i^ood  descent ;  their  ancestry  can  l)e  traced  back  in  this  country 
to  10.30,  in  Dorchester.  Their  parents,  William  and  Thankful 
(Edwards)  Plielps  were  persons  of  wealth  and  of  a[)parentl_y 
better  education  than  the  majority  of  that  day.  Tlie  l)rotliers 
came  here  in  1701.  William  married,  but  died  here  in  1773, 
leaving  no  descendants. 

Elnathan  Phelps  is  the  only  one  of  the  eight  who  is  person- 
ally remembered,  so  far  as  I  can  learn,  by  any  one  now  living. 
Deacon  Daniel  Stearns  remembers  him  as  about  five  feet,  nine 
inches  in  height,  broad  shouldered,  but  not  stout,  in  weight 
about  two  hundred  pounds,  hair  slightly  gray  and  face  smooth- 
ly shaven,  active  and  energetic  in  his  movements.  Deacon 
James  Francis  says  he  was  familiarly  called  Uncle  Elly  by  the 
C(Mnmunity  at  large.  He  became  a  Baptist,  or  Separatist,  as 
the  denomination  w^as  then  called,  and  removing  to  Vermont 
became  a  preacher  or  exhorter.  He  occasionally  returned  here 
to  visit  relatives  and  preached.  Deacon  Francis  remembers 
being  in  the  field  one  Monday  morning  with  his  father  when 
they  heard  a  halloa.  Looking  over  to  the  road  some  distance 
away  they  saw  Ekler  Phelps,  whom  they  had  heard  preach  in 
the  school  house  the  day  l)efore,  mounted  on  horsel)ack  and 
l)eckoning  to  them.  When  he  saw  he  had  their  attention  he 
shouted  to  them,  "  Did  you  suck  any  honey  out  of  the  rock 
yesterday?"  and  passed  on.  His  house,  whicli  he  built  here, 
was  on  a  road,  now  disused,  leading  off  from  the  farther  road 
running  from  West  sti-eet  towards  Stearnsville.  He  founded  a 
Baptist  church  in  Orwell,  Vt.,  and  one  in  Hampton,  N.  Y. 
From  him  was  descended  WilHam  Miller,  the  Propliet  of  the 
Second  Adventists  or  Millerites,  also  Professor  Austin  Phelps 
of  Andover,  and  his  no  less  distinguished  daughter,  Elizabeth 
Stuart,  now  Mrs.  Ward.     Some  of  his  descendants  are  here, 


23 

many  in  Yermont,  New  York,  Micliigun  and  other  states  of 
tlie  West.  He  died  at  Pownal,  Yt.,  in  January,  1813,  wliile 
on  liis  way  to  visit  his  son  in  Pittsfield. 

Lemuel  Phelps  was  a  distant  relative  of  tlie  last  two  men- 
tioned, and  also  came  here  from  Northamption,  where  he  was 
horn  in  1731.  We  find  liis  name  as  an  enrolled  soldier  in  tlie 
army  of  tlie  revolution,  but  no  record  of  his  death  is  found  and 
no  descendants  of  his  are  known  here.  He  probably  removed 
to  Yermont. 

.  In  the  chapel,  in  our  rear,  hangs,  to-day,  a  portrait  of  the 
Divine,  who,  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  years  ago  to-day, 
preached  the  first  sermon  to  which  this  church  ever  listened ; 
but,  so  far  as  I  know,  no  picture  in  any  form  is  preserved  of 
any  member  of  that  church.  I  have  given  yt)u  what  ac<piaiiit- 
ance  with  them  I  could  within  tlie  time  allowed  me,  and  now 
what  think  ye  of  them  ? 

They  were  lirave  men ;  for  it  required  no  small  degree  of 
courage  to  dwell  in  this  wilderness  then;  savages  lurking  all 
around  them,  every  tree,  possi])ly,  concealing  a  murderer. 
They  were  men  who  loved  liberty,  as  is  shown  no  less  in  their 
Congregationalism  than  in  their  patriotism.  With  possibly  one 
exception,  every  one  of  them  who  lived  till  the  day  of  the  rev- 
olutionary war,  bore  arms  in  that  struggle. 

They  were  men  to  whom  religion  was  a  cherished  reality, 
and  ^ve  find  them  bringing  it  with  them  and  providing  for  its 
o1)servances  and  ministrations  as  one  of  the  first  necessities  of 
their  pioneer  life. 

They  were  men  who  })lajnied  and  built  wisely  for  the  future, 
for  they  planted  liere  a  church,  which,  through  all  these  years, 
has  been  a  source  of  untold  good  to  untold  nuiiil)ers,  wdiose 
means  and  opportunities  for  usefulness  never  greater  than 
to-day,  we  hope,  under  Divine  guidance,  will  be  faithfully 
and  wisely  used  and  improved  until  the  whole  earth  is  filled 
with  the  glory  of  the  Lord. 

This  is  their  work,  and  by  their  work  do  we  know  them. 


CHURCH    BUH. DINGS    AND 
FURNITURE. 


BY  WILLIAM  L.   ADAM. 


Should  some  one  of  us,  l)y  any  freak  of  nature,  live  to  meet 
with  those  who  shall  sit  in  our  places  on  the  seventh  day  of 
Fehruary,  in  the  year  2(>14,  and  should  the  sense  of  sii2,'ht  or 
of  sound  still  be  left  to  him,  he  would  see  or  hear  many  things 
that  would  seem  to  him  strano;e  and  not  easily  understood.  But 
it  is  much  to  be  doubted  if  the  changes  in  his  surroundings 
would  appear  one-tenth  part  as  great  as  those  which  one  of  the 
eight  men  who  founded  this  church,  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  years  ago  this  winter's  day,  would  find  in  the  little  settle- 
ment that  he  knew,  were  he  now  to  step  among  us  and  look 
about  him. 

The  plain,  wooden  meeting  house  of  1704,  then  still  in  an 
unfinished  state,  and  the  first  of  the  three  buildings  in  which 
this  church  has  worshipped,  stood  directly  in  front  of  the  site 
of  this,  its  stone  grand-child.  Its  north  side,  or  rear,  for  its 
length  stretched  east  and  west,  ])robablj  rested  u])on  some  part 
of  the  ground  now  covered  by  the  sidewalk  in  front  of  this 
structure.  As  it  was  but  thirty-five  feet  in  depth,  its  frt)nt 
must  have  been  over  part  of  the  roadway  now  between  us  and 
the  park.  Still  further  to  the  south  stood  the  magnificent  elm, 
so  long  the  pride  and  glory  of  this  favored  town  ;  a  tree  then 
unshorn  of  any  of  its  beauty,  a  kindly  and  beneficent  sentinel 
watching  over  its  little  neighbor,  nestling  so  far  below  its  lofty 
top. 

But  to  get  even  this  unfinished  house  in  which  to  worship 
had  l)een  no  easy  task.     As  far  back  as  the  twelfth  of  8e])tem- 


A.'W.E.ls  nn  a:  tra  Baatnn. 


INTERIOR    OF  FIRST  CHURCH. 
FEBY  6,  1889. 


25 

l)er,  1753,  at  the  lirst  meeting  of  "The  Proprietors  of  the  Sixty 
Setthng  Lots  in  the  Phuitation  of  Poontoosuck,"  and  as  soon 
as  a  moderator  and  a  clerk  had  Ijeen  chosen,  it  was  voted  to  lay 
a  tax  of  three  shillings  upon  each  settling  lot  "for  the  support 
of  preaching  among  us,"  while  the  next  vote  appropriated  £40 
lawful  money,  with  which  to  build  a  meeting  house.  The 
name  of  Deacon  Crofoot  appears  upon  each  of  the  committees 
then  appointed  to  carry  out  the  wishes  of  the  meeting,  and  as- 
sociated with  him  upon  each  was  Charles  Goodrich,  the  hearer 
of  a  name  destined  to  he  so  long  and  honorably  kn(jwn  in  the 
church  and  town,  and  the  representatives  of  which  are  still 
numerous  among  us. 

Many  and  vexatious  delays,  however,  served  to  put  off  the 
day  when  the  little  community  should  have  a  house  in  which 
to  hold  its  meetings,  alike  for  Sal)batli  services  and  for  the 
transaction  of  its  secular  business,  and  it  was  not  till  June, 
1761,  that  the  varicjus  uKjtions  produced  any  effect,  when  it 
was  voted,  '■'■  That  four  shillings  be  raised  on  each  lot,  to  pay 
for  raising  the  meeting  house ;  and  every  man  who  comes  early 
to  have  three  shillings  credit  per  diem,  till  the  house  be  raised, 
and  the  connnittee  to  take  account  of  each  man's  lal)or — the 
other  shilling  t(j  be  paid  for  rum  and  sugar."  Pittsfield  has 
often  l)een  twitted  since  that  time  with  having  rather  lax 
morals.  But  her  most  carping  critic  must  admit  that  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-eight  years  have  wr(jught  a  cliange  for  the 
better,  and  that  the  day  when  the  foundations  of  a  house  of 
this  sort  could  be  laid  with  mortar  mixed  with  such  a  fluid  has 
gone  from  among  us,  and  forever. 

The  summer  of  this  year,  1761,  saw  the  little  building  at 
last  fairly  under  way,  and  advanced  so  far  that  in  March  of  the 
next  year  a  town  meeting  was  held  within  its  walls  for  the  first 
time.  The  ownership  of  this  Ikjusc  was  vested  in  the  town,  for 
the  town  had  taxed  itself  for  the  building,  and  continued  to  use 
the  meeting  house  for  public  purposes  till  its  successor  was 
erected,  thirty  years  later.  After  that  no  more  town  meetings 
were  held  in  the  church,  though  the  town's  ownership  did  not 
cease  till  the  title  passed  to  the  2)resent  parish,  now  somewhat 
more  than  fifty  years  ago. 


26 

At  tlii.s  time  I  pay  no  liucd  t(t  the  pari.sli  as  such,  .simply 
treating  it  and  its  belongings,  fur  the  purposes  of  this  anniver- 
sary, and  as  they  should  always  he  regarded,  as  so  many  mem- 
bers of  that  body  of  which  the  visiV)le  church  is  the  head.  It 
is  interesting  to  note  here  that  the  first  town  meeting  of  Pitts- 
iield  was  held  in  the  house  of  Deacon  Stephen  Crofoot,  on  the 
eleventh  of  May,  1761,  the  same  house  in  which  this  church 
wa;s  organized  three  years  afterward. 

So  far  as  I  know,  no  trace  of  this  first  meeting-house  now  re- 
mains, and  nothing  connected  w^th  it  is  left  to  ns  save  some  of 
Mr.  Allen's  manuscripts,  including  his  letter  of  acceptance, 
which  may  have  l)een  read  from  the  desk,  before  his  occupancy 
of  it,  by  some  temporary  supply,  a  liynni-book  or  two  and  the 
records  of  the  church  and  the  town,  which  often  lay  upon  the 
little  deal  tal)le  before  the  pulpit,  a  ta])le  tliat  in  turn  served 
both  church  and  state  with  judicial  impartiality.  Mrs.  Mary 
L.  O'Sullivan,  of  this  town,  a  grand-daughter  of  the  liev.  Mr. 
Allen,  has  a  foot  stove  l)elonging  in  the  tirst  ])arsonage,  which 
she  says  "  was  perhaps  as  warm  and  constant  an  attendant  upon 
the  services  of  the  first  church  as  any  that  could  be  found." 
As  the  l)uilding  was  guiltless  of  any  heat,  and  as  it  was,  and 
even  is,  sometimes  cold  in  Pittsfield,  possil)ly  the  surmise  is  not 
far  from  the  truth. 

Could  we  have  come  up  to  this  primitive  structure  with  the 
gathering  congregation,  on  a  fair  Sabbath  morning  of  some 
summer  long  gone  by,  we  should  have  seen  a  very  different 
Pittsfield  from  the  one  that  we  know.  East  street  then  entered 
!N"ortli  and  South  streets,  as  East  llousatonic  street  now  enters 
the  latter,  and  from  one  to  two  hundred  feet  east  of  the  corner 
thus  made,  on  the  north  side  of  East  street,  stood  the  meeting- 
house, its  front  al>out  on  the  line  of  the  road.  No  bell  would 
have  sounded  its  call,  and  if  we  had  ridden,  we  should  have  had 
to  fasten  our  horses  wdierever  chance  offered,  for,  unlike  most 
country  parishes,  this  one  has  never  been  willing  to  surround 
its  churches  with  unsightly,  if  useful,  row^s  of  horse-sheds.  We 
should  liave  paused  a  moment  to  enjoy  the  shade  of  the  stately 
elm  that  stood  before  the  door,  and  to  exchange  greetings  with 
friends  and  neighbors,  whom,  possibly,  we  had  not  seen  since 
the  previous  Sabbath. 


27 

If  this  first  meeting-lioiise  was  a  bare  and  plain  affair,  M'itli- 
out  paint ,  with  tlie  simplest  of  gable  roofs,  unbroken  even  by  a 
belfry,  with  no  blinds  to  screen  its  windows,  which  it  mnst  be 
feared,  often  showed  many  broken  panes  in  both  its  stories,  it 
certainly  lacked  nothing  of  good  will,  with  its  doors  opening 
east  and  south  and  w^est,  throngh  which  it  nrged  all  who  wonld 
to  come. 

Passing  in  by  the  south  door,  we  should  have  found  an  inte- 
rior without  ornament  or  decoration  of  any  sort,  with  seventeen 
stpiare  pews  and  six  long  seats  upon  the  lower  floor,  taking  up 
most  of  the  space,  and  galleries  on  the  three  sides  over  the 
doors.  Directly  in  front  of  us,  facing  the  l)road  aisle,  would  have 
been  the  pulpit,  from  which  the  sturdy  Parson  Allen  wielded 
so  strong  an  influence  over  the  rising  community.  Two  high- 
l)acked  chairs  would  have  stood  behind  the  pulpit,  while  before 
it  would  have  been  the  table  whose  accpiaintance  we  have  al- 
ready made,  all  of  Spartan  simplicity. 

The  owmers  of  the  square  pews  would  have  taken  their 
places  in  them,  sitting  with  their  famihes,  while  the  calm  exte- 
riors of  some  of  the  occupants  of  the  long  seats  would  scarcely 
have  concealed  the  deadly  heart  burnings  beneath  them,  caused 
by  the  system  of  "dignifying  the  house,"  or  seating  the  con- 
gregation according  to  supposed  social  rank,  then  in  vogue  in 
New  England.  In  these  seats,  as  in  the  galleries,  a  Shaker-like 
division  of  the  sexes  would  have  attracted  our  notice,  while 
l)ehind  the  row  of  singers  in  the  south  gallery  wijuld  have  ap- 
peared the  sable  faces  and  gleaming  teeth  of  another  part  of 
the  congregation.  All  in  all  it  was  a  typical  New  Englaiul 
country  audience  of  the  last  century,  gathered  in  a  meeting- 
house <piite  inferior  and  wholly  unworthy  of  the  beautiful 
town  of  whose  life  it  formed  the  center. 

A  generation  has  now  passed  away ;  the  infant  community 
has  grown  to  be  one  of  two  thousand  souls;  and  the  shabby 
and  ill-fltting  clothes  of  its  childhood  must  be  laid  aside  for 
others  of  ampler  breadth  and  of  fashion  better  becoming  its 
vigorous  youth.  So  in  April,  1789,  the  town  appointed  a  com- 
mittee of  nine  of  its  most  sul)stantial  and  influential  men,  to 
report  a  plan  for  a  new  meeting-house.     By  Kovember  of  the 


28 

same  year  tliej  were  ready  to  make  their  report,  with  its  sug- 
gestions as  to  the  size  of  the  new  edifice  and  estimates  as  to  its 
prol)al)le  cost.  The  latter  were  as  thoroughly  and  lil)erally  ex- 
ceeded by  the  actual  cost  as  in  the  case  of  any  more  modern 
building,  thus  proving  that  after  all  in  a  full  century  we  have 
not  taken  so  long  a  step  in  advance  of  our  fathers. 

The  building  of  this  meeting-house  probably  did  more  to 
change  the  appearance  of  our  village  than  any  other  act  of 
which  its  records  make  note.  A  committee  in  charge  of  the 
matter  had  reported  in  favor  of  setting  the  structure  so  that  it 
should  face  the  south,  with  its  front  upon  the  line  of  the  street. 
But  in  this  way  the  splendors  of  the  architecture  of  the  new 
church  would  be  hidden  from  those  who  approached  it  from 
the  west,  a  section  of  the  town  whose  population  was  of  great 
Aveight  in  public  aifairs. 

Influenced  by  this  strong  feeling,  the  town  voted  to  put  the 
front  seven  feet  further  south  than  the  committee  had  recom- 
mended, and  to  accomplish  this,  the  noble  elm  must  l)e  sacri- 
ficed. In  fact  the  ax  had  already  begun  its  deadly  work,  when 
Mrs.  John  Chandler  Williams,  the  wife  of  one  of  PittsfiehPs 
most  eminent  men,  and  one  who  long  bore  a  leading  ])art  in  its 
councils,  rushed  out  from  lier  home  in  the  handsome  colonial 
house,  now  owned  by  Miss  Elizal)eth  S.  Newton,  then  standing 
near  the  front  of  the  present  Court  House  grounds,  and  actu- 
ally put  herself  before  the  tree,  staying  the  destroyer\s  arm  till 
the  town  could  reconsider  its  ill-advised  action.* 

Mr.  Williams  then  offered  to  give  to  the  town,  for  a  i)ublic 
square,  as  nmch  of  his  land  lying  south  of  the  elm  as  the  town 
itself  would  set  apart  Ijetween  the  elm  and  the  new  meeting- 
house. Most  fortunately  the  offer  was  gladly  accej^ted,  and 
thus  was  acquired  the  space  for  the  open  green  and  park,  whose 
effect  uj)on  the  beauty  and  attractiveness  of  this  town  can  not 
readily  be  estimated  by  any  of  ns,  even  at  this  present  day. 
Tlie  elm  itself  forgave  the  injury,  but  carried  the  scars  of  its 
wounds  deep  hidden  from  sight,  only  to  be  revealed  when  it 
met  its  fate  in  a  ripe  and  beloved  old  age. 

Upon  the  site  then  of  this  ])resent  church,  between  the  sum- 
mer of  lYt^O  and   some  time  in  the  third  vear  followino;,  rose 


29 

the  second  ineeting-liouse,  still  well  remeinl)ered  by  many  hear- 
ing nie,  and  familiar  to  the  rest  of  us  as  the  gymnasinm  at 
Maplewood.  Its  architect  was  the  noted  Charles  Buliinch,  the 
impress  of  whose  skill  is  upon  the  enlarged  Fanenil  Hall,  npon 
the  State  House  in  Boston,  and  upon  the  Capitol  at  Washing- 
ton. Ninety  feet  long,  exclusive  of  the  porch,  and  fifty -five 
feet  wide,  this  new  building  could  have  held  within  it  three 
houses  as  large  as  its  little  predecessor,  still  standing  but  a  few 
feet  in  front  of  it.  So  near  was  it  in  fact,  that  a  mortar-bed, 
lying  between  the  two,  in  which  tire  had  started  from  some 
slacking  lime,  threatened  to  be  the  means  of  destroying  both. 
As  no  use  had  l)een  found  for  the  older  structure,  it  wasjudled 
a  little  to  the  east,  when  it  fell  to  pieces,  perhaps  not  without 
the  least  Ijit  of  assistance. 

The  town  again  taxed  itself,  as  it  had  done  thirty  years  l>e- 
fore,  to  l)uild  this  second  meeting-house,  and  it  is  rather  odd  to 
learn  that  no  gifts  of  fittings  or  furniture  for  the  handsome 
structure  were  made  by  any  individuals,  even  the  cushion  for 
the  pulpit  having  been  bought  l)y  the  town.  But  we  must  not 
suppose  that  this  fact  betrays  any  lack  of  interest  or  enthusi- 
asm among  the  town's-people,  for  in  many  instances  the  sum 
assessed  was  contributed  in  the  choicest  and  most  carefully  se- 
lected materials  instead  of  in  money.  Thus  an  eighty  foot 
stick  of  timber  came  from  Dr.  Timothy  Cliilds,  the  ridgepole 
from  Ste})hen  Fowler,  two  sills  from  Capt.  Charles  Goodrich, 
another  sill,  fifty  feet  in  length,  was  l)rought  by  Zebulon  Stiles, 
one  of  the  first  settlers  of  the  town,  Mrs.  Stoddard  and  Mrs. 
Dickinson,  the  widows  of  two  men  prominent  in  the  Revolu- 
tion, together  furnished  a  })illar  twenty  feet  h>ng  and  a  pine 
beam  of  seventy  feet,  while  Capt.  Jared  IngersoU's  timber  lot 
in  Lenox  yielded  one  of  the  pillars  f<)r  the  belfry.  Time  has 
shown  that  these  materials  were  of  the  soundest  and  best,  but 
were  others  like  theiii  now  to  be  called  for  from  us,  this  county 
would  have  to  submit  itself  to  a  most  rigorous  and  minute 
search. 

Thirty  years  had  uot  done  away  with  all  the  old  customs,  and 
the  frame  of  this  new  building,  like  the  old,  was  put  together 
with  the  same  liberal  help,  or  hindrance,  of  a  spirituous  sort. 


30 

But  tlie  first  season  saw  it  enclosed  and  covered,  and  tliono;lino 
record  of  its  completion  and  dedication  is  left,  it  was  prol)al)ly 
ready  for  use  before  tlie  end  of  the  year  1793.  The  people  of 
tlie  town  were  justly  proud  of  their  imposing  liouse  of  wor- 
ship, with  its  white  front  facing  the  newly  opened  square  and 
surmounted  by  an  open  belfry,  in  wdiich  was  bung,  in  the  same 
year,  1708,  that  object  of  tbe  greatest  interest  to  them  all,  their 
first  l)ell.  Altliougb  weigliing  but  seven  hundred  pounds,  this 
bell  had  a  clear  and  pleasing  tone  and  could  be  beard,  so  it  is 
said,  when  all  things  favored,  as  far  away  as  Wasliington  Moun- 
tain. Even  this  result  did  ]K)t  satisfy  some  of  tlie  more  ambi- 
tious, who  substituted  a  heavier  tongue  than  tlie  one  with  whicb 
it  was  provided,  and  promptly  cracked  the  l)ell.  AiKjther  was 
soon  f)rdered  to  be  made  from  the  old  one,  with  the  addition  of 
not  more  than  three  liundred  pounds  of  metal,  and  continued 
to  perform  its  duty  tlirougb  summer  and  winter,  for  church 
services  and  for  town  meetings,  for  celebrations  and  for  fire 
alarms,  till  it  too  was  cracked  and  gave  way  to  the  l)ell  now 
hanging  above  us,  cast  by  George  II.  Ilolbrook  of  East  Med- 
way,  in  1842. 

It  was  not  till  anotber  generation  had  come  and  gone,  in 
1822,  tliat  the  labors  of  tbe  bell  were  increased  by  its  duties  as 
public  monitor,  but  since  tbat  time,  save  while  fire  and  tbe  re- 
moval of  its  old  home  prevented,  it  has  l)y  day  and  by  nigbt 
faithfully  warned  the  dwellers  in  tbe  town  of  tlie  passing  f»f 
the  hours,  and  the  days,  and  the  weeks,  and  tbe  years. 

The  a])pearance  of  this  meeting  house  is  familiar  to  all  who 
know  Pittsfield  and  its  l)elongings,  as  it  appears  so  often  in 
prints  and  views  of  the  square  and  its  elm,  and  upon  so  much 
blue  pottery.  In  fact  tbe  front  of  the  building  is  but  little 
changed  now,  save  that  the  belfry  has  given  way  to  an  observa- 
tory. The  recollections,  too,  of  many  have  been  refreshed  by 
the  interesting  cut,  publisbed  in  the  Evening  Journal  of  the 
tenth  of  last  month,  showing  the  semi-circular  flagging  and 
row  of  posts  in  front  of  the  dooi's,  placed  tliere  not  far  from 
1830,  and  by  the  valuable  calendar,  opportunely  issued  this 
week  by  our  local  fire  insurance  company.  JSTinety-six  years 
ago  this  week  tbe  marble  steps,  which  show  so  plainly  in  the 


31 

cut,  and  wliicli  to-day  are  still  duiiiij;  <luty  in  front  of  the  doors 
of  this  church,  were  drawn  hither,  fnjni  some  (juarry  in  llicli- 
nit)nd,  hy  many  oxen  and  with  great  rejoiciuii". 

Within  doors  the  S(|iiare  pews  of  the  older  meeting-house 
repeated  themselves,  witli  the  broad  or  middle  aisle,  while  over- 
head was  an  arched  ceiling  with  the  elaborate  joinery  of  that 
period.  Somewhat  later  this  ceiling  was  hidden  by  a  false  one 
on  a  lower  ])lane ;  l)ut  it  was  again  brought  to  view,  by  tearing 
away  the  substitute,  when  tlie  Iniildingwas  UKjved  to  its  present 
site.  The  high  pulpit,  with  a  flight  of  steps  on  either  side,  was 
at  the  north  end,  but  at  the  coming  of  Dr.  Todd,  and  at  his 
request,  it  was  brought  down  more  nearly  to  the  level 
of  the  congregation.  Behind  it  hung  the  well-remem- 
bered red  curtain,  shielding  the  eyes  oi  the  pew-holders  from 
the  strong,  unobstructed  light  of  the  north  window.  A  part 
of  this  old  pulpit,  in  wliicli  Mr.  Allen  preached  for  nearly  a 
score  of  years,  is  still  preserved  in  a  kneeling  stool,  made  from 
its  wood  for  Mrs.  O' Sullivan. 

The  arrangement  of  the  galleries  was  like  that  in  the  tirst 
building,  and  repeated  in  this  present  church,  with  the  south 
one  set  apart  for  the  singers.  Into  the  east  gallery,  in  later 
years,  the  young  ladies  of  the  Maplewood  Institute  were  wont 
to  l)e  marshalled,  under  vigilant  escort,  while  by  some  attraction 
or  other,  various  young  men  of  the  town,  or  boys  here  at  school, 
were  to  l)e  found  occujn'ing  seats  in  the  op})osite  gallery.  It 
was  noticed  that  at  times  the  eyes  of  the  young  men  rested,  not 
u])on  the  preacher  in  the  pulpit  before  them,  but  upon  the  fair 
sitters  across  the  church.  So  the  edict  went  forth  that  the  en- 
tire school,  even  to  the  youngest  girl,  should  appear  on  the  fol- 
lowing Sabbath  with  close  green  veils.  IS^o  sooner  had  they 
taken  their  seats  than  one  of  the  young  men  in  the  west  gal- 
lery, perhaps  a  staunch  believer  in  homeopathy,  or  perhaps  one 
who  was  dazzled  by  the  smdight  which  came  through  the  win- 
dows with  no  hindrance  from  shade  or  shutter,  promptly  raised 
a  green  umbrella.  A  week  later  the  green  veils  gave  place  to 
less  noticeable  ones  of  black. 

Such  was  the  meeting-house  which  for  sixty  years  served  this 
society  faithfully  and  well.     From  time  to  time  its  interior  un- 


32 

derwent  changes,  to  adapt  it  to  tliu  varying-  tastes  and  wishes  of 
its  occupants,  noticeal)ly  so  wliun,  in  l!S3(),  the  scpiare  pews 
gave  way  to  more  convenient  slips,  and  the  central  aisle  was 
closed.  But  even  then  the  sentiment  in  favor  of  seating  the 
house  hy  means  of  a  committee  was  too  strong  to  he  uprooted, 
and  it  held  its  sway  for  some  years  longer.  The  huilding  had 
been  heated,  or  alleged  to  be,  by  wood  stoves  of  course,  for 
some  time  prior  to  1822,  and  it  had  provision  for  lighting  in 
the  shape  of  whale  oil  lamps.  One  of  the  early  recollections 
of  Deacon  James  Francis,  of  the  Baptist  Church  of  this  town, 
whose  memory  runs  back  for  a  period  as  long  as  the  alloted  life 
of  man,  is  that  of  seeing  the  little  pails  hung  beneath  the  joints 
of  the  pipes  that  stretched  along  the  fronts  of  the  galleries,  in 
this  second  meeting-house,  from  the  stoves  at  the  south  end  to 
the  chimneys  at  the  north  end. 

For  many  years  the  church  had  held  its  prayer  meetings  in 
such  places  as  it  could  get.  though  for  the  greater  part  of  the 
time  in  the  old  Union  Parish  meeting-house,  which  stood  where 
the  South  Church  now  is.  But  after  various  efforts  to  procure 
a  building  of  its  own,  and  through  the  vigorous  measures  of 
Dr.  Todd,  in  1845  it  secured,  by  grant  of  the  town,  suiScient 
land  near  the  northeast  corner  of  its  meeting-house,  upon  which 
to  erect  the  white,  wooden  "  Lecture  Room,"  so  called,  with  its 
Doric  portico,  so  well  remembered  by  many  of  us  as  the  scene 
of  evening  and  early  morning  meetings  and  of  Sunday  School 
concerts.  Dr.  Todd,  in  his  historical  sermon,  preached  on  the 
third  of  February,  1873,  says  of  this  building,  that  "It  was 
neat,  well  proportioned,  convenient,  and,  in  the  winter,  very 
cold."  One  might  have  been  disposed  to  doubt  this  last  state- 
ment, if  appearance  only  were  the  test,  for  full  in  view,  as  one 
entered  the  porch,  was  a  pile  of  unsplit  wood,  which  Sexton 
Fairbanks  left  wholly  un]u-otected,  at  the  mercy  of  an  honest 
community,  while  within,  the  stoves,  surrounded  by  a  great 
expanse  of  tinned  side  walls  and  pew  fronts  and  l)acks,  seemed 
to  take  up  a  most  generous  portion  of  the  space. 

For  some  reason  the  interior  of  this  building,  which  was  a 
little  larger  than  the  first  meeting-house,  is  strongly  impressed 
upon  m}'  memory.     The    maps    of    "sarious   missionary  fields. 


THE    FIRST    MEETING    HOUSE. 

(See  pages  26  aud  27.) 


THE    FIRST    PARSON.A.GE    ERECTED    BY    THE    REV.    THOMAS    ALLEN,   ON    THE 
CORNER    OF    EAST    AND    FIRST    STREETS. 


33 

hanging  upon  its  walls,  always  attracted  my  boyish  attention, 
particularly  that  of  the  Sandwich  Islands,  with  their  strange 
and  nn])ronounceable  names,  while  I  never  failed  to  read  the 
words  "  Sunday  ISToon  Library"  above  the  doors  of  a  closed 
cabinet,  at  one  side  of  the  pulpit,  and  which,  though  painted 
over,  can  still  be  dimly  traced  in  the  northeast  corner  of  the 
upper  room  of  the  chapel. 

It  was  while  an  evening  meeting,  held  in  this  room  one  cold 
winter^s  night,  was  bi'eaking  up,  that  an  alarm  of  fire  was 
sounded,  and  word  flew  about  that  the  lecture  room  was  burn- 
ing. The  condensing  vapor,  that  fell  as  the  heated  air  from 
within  poured  out,  gave  currency  to  the  rumor,  and  the  indefa- 
tigable, alljcit  somewhat  nervous  and  excitable  Col.  Barr,  chor- 
ister of  the  church,  in  a  state  of  wild  perturbation,  to  the  great 
entertainment,  if  not  to  the  edification  of  the  more  phlegmatic 
and  unmusical  brethren,  called  loudly  for  a  lantern,  that  he 
might  climb  into  the  loft,  and,  by  the  jjotent  rays  of  the  lamp, 
discover  where  the  fire  might  be. 

This  lecture  room,  beside  at  various  times  harboring  both  the 
Episcopal  and  Lutheran  churches,  continued  to  serve  its  pur- 
pose till  the  completion  of  the  present  chapel  in  1S69,  when, 
after  having  afforded  a  temporary  shelter  to  the  local  court,  it 
was  moved  back  to  School  street,  where,  shorn  of  its  classic  or- 
namentation and  no  longer  wliite,  it  still  does  honest,  if  homely, 
duty  as  a  supply  and  store  house  for  the  fire  department. 

Late  in  the  evening  of  Sunday,  the  ninth  of  .January,  1834, 
fire  was  discovered  in  the  second  meeting  house,  but  the  flames 
were  soon  controlled,  and  little  damage  was  done.  Just  seven- 
teen years  later,  on  the  morning  of  Sunday,  January  ninth, 
1851,  the  church  again  took  fire,  this  time  from  one  of  the 
stoves,  and  the  interior  was  burned  so  that  extensive  repairs 
would  have  been  needed  to  refit  it  for  use.  After  various 
propositions  and  counter-projects,  it  was  decided  to  al)andon  the 
old  structure  and  to  Ijuild  anew.  Accordingly  the  building 
was  soon  sold  and  moved  from  the  old  site,  the  church  mean- 
while meeting  in  a  hall  in  the  brick  block  on  the  west  side  of 
North  street,  just  south  of  the  present  Central  Ijlock,  till  the 
completion  and  dedication  of  the  present  church  edifice,  on  the 
sixtii  of  July,  1853. 


34 

Much  of  interest  is  connected  wtth  this  meetinff-house  of 
1Y93  to  1851,  and  many  mementoes  of  it  are  still  about  us. 
It  is  probable  that  more  than  one  of  the  Bibles  used  in  it  and 
belonging  to  the  church  is  still  in  existence,  but  unmarked  and 
unlettered  as  they  have  been,  it  is  not  easy  to  speak  of  them 
with  certainty.  The  oldest  one  of  which  I  know,  now  in  a 
sadly  dilapidated  condition,  l)ears  the  date  of  18<>6,  and,  in  the 
space  left  for  records,  is  jirinted,  in  large,  plain  letters,  a  list  of 
the  pastors  of  the  church,  beginning  with  Thomas  Allen  and 
ending  with  John  Todd.  The  handsome  copy  of  the  Scriptures 
that  for  nearly  two  score  years  has  lain  upon  the  pulpit,  bears 
upon  its  side  this  inscription :  '•'  Presented  to  tlie  First  Congre- 
gational Church  and  Society,  in  thankful  acknowledgment  of 
kindness  received,  by  the  Proprietors  of  Saint  Stephen's  Chuvch, 
Pittsfield,  Anno  Domini,  1852."  The  beautiful  copy  of  the 
Revised  Version,  in  live  volumes,  with  their  protecting  case  of 
oak,  to  he  seen  behind  the  pulpit,  was  the  gift  of  a  son  of  this 
cliurch,  and  the  Secretary  of  the  American  Committee  upon 
the  Revision  of  the  Scriptures,  the  minute  of  whose  l)aptismis 
still  to  be  read  upon  its  records.  Each  of  the  volumes  Ijears 
upon  its  handsome  black  morrocco  side,  in  plain  gold  letters, 
the  words  :  "  Presentation  Copy  from  the  American  Committee 
of  Revision,  A.  D.  1885,"  and  underneath  these,  simply,  "  First 
Church  in  Pittstield,  from  George  E.  Day,  March  19,  1886." 

The  mahogany  table  before  me,  and  now  in  use  in  the  chapel 
by  the  Superintendent  of  the  Sunday  School,  and  the  two 
chairs  of  the  same  wood  near  me,  of  whose  two  companions 
and  the  long  sofa  used  with  them  we  have  lost  all  trace,  formed 
the  subject  of  a  letter,  written  some  years  ago,  by  Mrs. 
Curtis  T.  Fenn,  of  fragrant  memory,  to  a  member  of  this 
church,  a  co})y  of  which  I  am  glad  to  be  able  to  read  to  you. 

"In  1820  it  was  thought  lie.st  to  have  a  new  comnmnion  table  aud  four 
chairs.  There  had  never  been  chairs  before.  As  our  old  pine  table  of  an 
oval  form,  covered  with  green  baise  and  trimmed  with  a  green  fringe  would 
not  compare  with  the  then  talked  of  slips,  the  table  and  chairs  were  pur. 
chased,  but  we  sat  in  our  square  boxes  for  a  long  time.  The  deacons  were 
consulted  ;  they  were  three  in  number,  Eli  Maynard,  Daniel  Crofoot  and 
Charles  Goodrich.  Whether  the  deacons  or  the  ladies  made  the  purchase,  I 
do  not  know.  I  paid  two  dollars,  and  suppose  each  of  the  ladies  paid  the 
same,  perhaps  more." 


35 

How  large  tlie  iniinber  of  ladies  was,  I  do  not  know.  If  it 
was  equal  to  the  number  now  connected  with  tlie  churcli,  or  to 
those  present  at  an  annual  meeting  of  the  Free  Will  Society, 
the  furniture  must  have  cost  a  royal  sum. 

This  church  is  fortunate  in  the  possession  of  its  communion 
service  of  silver,  every  piece  of  which  has  been  in  use  upon 
this  mahogany  table.  Almost  all  of  it  is  severely  plain,  with 
hardly  a  scratch  or  dent  upon  it,  very  handsome  and  endeared 
hy  long  association.  The  four  tumljler-shaped  cups,  clearly 
marked  in  bold,  strong  script,  with  the  words,  "Pittsfield 
Church,"  and  below  these,  on  one  of  them,  the  date,  1809,  were 
bought  in  that  year,  by  the  women  of  the  church.  In  the  first 
volume  of  its  records  appears  a  vote  of  thanks  by  the  churcli, 
to  its  female  members,  for  the  gift,  followed  by  the  interesting 
note  that  the  cups  cost  sixty  dollars. 

The  four  goblets  came  to  the  church  with  the  coming  back 
of  the  Union  Parish,  to  which  they  had  been  given  l)y  Mrs. 
Mary  Strong,  and  all  are  marked  as  gifts,  with  her  name.  The 
records  of  that  society,  under  date  of  January  second,  1S16, 
mention  these  four  silver  gol)lets  in  a  vote  of  thanks  to  Widow 
Mary  Strong. 

The  four  plates,  three  of  them  of  the  same  pattern,  were 
bought  for  the  church,  in  New  York,  by  Deacon  Phinehas  Al- 
len, who  also  bought  the  desert  spoon,  marked  with  the  church's 
name,  at  the  same  time.  This  must  have  been  since  the  coming 
of  Dr.  Todd,  for  it  was  to  relieve  the  annoyance  of  the  good 
Doctor,  at  his  inability  to  remove  an  occasional  speck  that 
would  float  upon  the  surface  in  some  goblet,  that  Mr.  Allen 
bought  the  spoon. 

In  1805  there  is  reference  made,  in  the  recoi'ds  of  the  church, 
to  the  gift  of  a  silver  "  bason"  from  Oliver  Wendell,  Esq.,  of 
Boston,  a  distinguished  patriot  of  that  Pevolutionary  tow^n,  a  man 
whose  influence  made  itself  felt  upon  the  social  life  of  Pitts- 
field,  and  the  grandfather  of  the  wise  and  witty  little  man  who 
has  been  so  much  of  a  favorite  among  us.  Some  confusion  may 
possibly  have  arisen  as  to  this  gift,  for  the  beautiful  bowl,  from 
which  so  many  here  present  have  been  baptized,  a  perfect  spec- 
imen of  the  silversmith's  art,  bears,  distinctly  engraved  upon 


36 

its  side,  the  statement  that  it  was  the  gift  of  Oliver  Wendell, 
Esq.,  of  Boston,  to  the  Union  Parish,  of  Pittsfield,  in  1810. 
Whether  this  engraving  was  done  sul>se(|nently,  under  a  misap- 
prehension, or  whether  there  were  really  two  bowls,  one  of 
which  has  disappeared,  I  cannot  now  say. 

It  is  of  interest  to  read  that  in  1818  the  churcli,  having  "  no 
further  use  for  certain  cups,  presented  many  years  since  by  the 
late  Charles  Goodrich,  Es(|.,  for  the  Communion  tal)le,"  voted  : 
"  that  the  said  cups  be  delivered  to  his  son,  Dea.  Charles  Good- 
rich," to  be  "  by  him  presented,  in  the  name  of  the  Church,  to 
the  Congregational  Church  in  Pittsfield,  Vermont,"  by  which 
they  are  still  used.  The  next  July  this  gift  was  supplemented 
by  another  of  the  tankards,  for  which  there  was  no  further  use. 
These  also  had  been  presented  by  Charles  Goodrich,  and  it  is  prob- 
able that  the  two  tall  tankards  now  used,  which,  unfortunately, 
are  not  of  silver,  had  been  bought  not  long  before  this  time. 

The  fire  of  1851  destroyed  the  organ  then  in  the  church,  not 
the  first,  however,  that  the  old  south  gallery  had  held.  As  far 
back  as  1816,  Josej^h  Shearer,  who  certainly  deserves  to  be  hon- 
ored by  this  church  and  town,  for  six  years  later  he  presented 
the  latter  with  the  clock  that  still  regulates  our  comings  and 
our  goings,  gave  the  church  the  first  of  the  organs  that  it  has 
had.  But  though  glad  to  receive  it,  the  church  seems  to  have 
shown  small  appreciation  of  the  gift,  possibly  because  no  one 
was  able  to  use  it,  though  it  has  been  intimated  that  its  pagan 
presence  was  an  unwelcome  intruder,  at  that  time,  within  the 
walls  of  a  New  England  meeting  house,  and  the  pipes  became  the 
plunder  of  the  boys  about  the  village  streets.  From  this  time 
until  1846,  when  another  organ,  a  second-hand  instrument,  was 
purchased,  the  accompaniment  to  the  singing  was  furnished  by 
an  orchestra,  the  flute  played  by  Dr.  Robert  Campbell,  and  an- 
other of  the  instruments  in  wliich  was  a  ponderous  bass  viol,  a 
part  of  which  is  still  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  John  C.  West, 
and  is  to  be  seen  to-day  hanging  in  a  corner  of  the  chapel. 

The  introduction  of  so  worldly  a  thing  as  this  base  viol 
caused  at  least  one  man  in  town,  whose  descendants  are  still 
living  liei-e,  to  forbid  his  family  to  enter  the  meeting-house  thus 
desecrated  by  the  fi-og-like  sounds  of  this  invention  of  the  Evil 


37 

One.  Its  manipulator  was  a  Mr.  Merrinian,  l)ut  once  his  strengtli 
and  liis  skill  failed  to  have  their  usual  effect  upon  the  product 
of  the  workshop  of  the  Prince  of  Darkness,  because,  alas  !  one 
of  the  enterprising  boys  of  the  town  had  drawn  its  miglity  bow 
across  his  freshly  greased  l)Oot. 

This  organ  of  1846  was  considered  a  great  addition  to  the 
town,  and  its  capabilities  were  shown  by  means  of  an  elaborate 
public  concert.  The  first  organist  to  have  charge  of  this  in- 
strument was  Miss  Helen  Dunham,  a  daughter  of  Deacon  James 
H.  Dunham  of  the  South  Chm'ch. 

With  the  building  of  the  present  church  came  a  fine  organ, 
secured  through  the  efforts  of  Mr.  David  Campbell,  fiom  the 
factory  of  the  Messrs.  Hook  in  Boston.  Like  its  predecessors, 
it  found  its  home  in  the  south  gallery,  where  it  stood  until  1876, 
when  many  of  its  pipes,  having  the  tone  and  sweetness  which 
only  time  and  use  can  give,  found  their  way  into  the  organ  now 
before  you,  made  by  the  firm  of  Johnson  &  Son  of  Westfield, 
and  the  generous  gift  to  this  society  of  Mr.  George  W.  Camp- 
bell and  his  sister,  Mrs.  Col.  Thaddeus  Clapp. 

]N^ot  the  least  interesting  ties  that  bind  this  church  to  the  old 
meeting-house  are  the  oaken  communion  table,  chairs  and 
settees,  given  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jason  Clapp,  carved  in  Canaan, 
'New  York,  by  an  Englishman  in  Mr.  Clapp's  employ,  John 
Varney,  and  made  from  wood  taken  from  the  old  building, 
probably  from  a  pillar  from  the  belfry,  and  ])ossibly  from  the 
very  one  furnished  by  Capt.  Ingersoll. 

Of  the  present  beautiful  church  I  have  little  need  to  speak. 
Like  its  predecessors  it  has  been  open  to  all  that  was  best  and 
noblest  in  the  life  of  our  town,  and  like  its  immediate  precursor 
it  lias  once  opened  its  arms  to  welcome  all  the  world  to  a  meet- 
ing of  the  American  Board.  Like  the  two  that  have  gone  be- 
fore it,  it  is  the  child  of  the  soil  of  our  county,  for  the  stones 
for  its  walls  were  taken  from  a  (juarry  in  Adams,  and  those  for 
the  corners  came  from  Great  Barrington.  Its  architect,  Leop- 
old Eidlitz,  of  N^ew  York,  a  man  thought  worthy  to  be  associa- 
ted with  the  great  Richardson  in  the  task  of  attempting  to 
bring  order,  fitness  and  beauty  out  of  the  chaos  of  elements  in 
the  Capitol  at  Albany,  is  still  living ;  the  children,  grand-chil- 


38 

clren  and  great-griuid-cliildrcn  of  its  builder,  Levi  Goodrich, 
and  one  niend)er  of  its  building  connnittee,  John  C.  West,  are 
with  us  to-day  ;  while  the  clmrch  itself,  substantially  unchanged, 
stands  as  it  has  stood  in  our  luidst  for  more  than  a  generation. 
The  stone  eha})el  in  its  rear,  now  more  than  half  the  age  of  tlie 
church,  but  little  changed  in  twenty  years,  adds  much  to  its 
convenience,  while  its  beauty  has  been  greatly  enhanced  by  the 
decoration  of  its  walls,  seven  years  ago  this  spring,  under  the 
direction  of  Mr.  Prentice  Treadwell. 

The  parish  itself  has  honored  the  memory  of  three  of  its 
ministers  l)y  the  marble  tablets  now  u])on  the  walls  of  the  ves- 
tibule, while  the  figures,  m  rol)es  of  richly  colored  glass,  in  the 
window  under  the  east  gallery,  the  gift  of  Mr.  Harding  in  1882, 
and  the  work  of  Mr.  Treadwell,  keep  green  the  memories  of 
Nancy  Campbell  Harding  and  two  of  her  children,  Malcolm 
and  Hope. 

Very  fitting  is  it  too,  that  the  great  south  window,  with  its 
gorgeous  coloring,  given  by  Mrs.  Henry  G.  Mai-(|uand  of  New 
York,  a  grand-daughter  of  the  first  minister  of  the  church,  in 
memory  of  lier  parents,  Jonathan  and  Eunice  Williams  Allen, 
made  by  Louis  Tiftany  and  uncovered  in  1882,  should  lookl)oth 
southward  and  northward  over  the  ground  whereon  stood  the 
two  pulpits  that  Mr.  Allen  filled  so  long  and  so  well. 

Such  have  been  the  surroundings  and  some  of  the  belongings 
of  this  First  Church  of  Pittsfield  during  the  century  and  a 
quarter  of  its  existence.  Who  or  what  shall  he  after  us  we  do 
not  know ;  l)ut  surely  we  can  fondly  cherish  the  hope  that  our 
descendants  and  successfors,  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  years 
from  to-day,  may  find  this  stately  edifice  still  standing,  mel- 
lowed l)y  time,  further  enriched  and  adorned  by  the  hand  of 
man  and  still  tenanted  by  a  church  whose  beneficent  and  up- 
hfting  influence  shall  be  shed  upon  the  Town  of  Pittsfield,  the 
County  of  Berkshire,  the  ConnnouAvealth  of  Massachusetts,  and 
throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  this  earth  that  we  in- 
habit. 


THE  HISTORICAL  RELATIONS  OF 

CHURCH  TO  TOWN  AND  PARISH. 


BY  JAMES  M.   BARKER. 


A  centuiy   and  a   qiiarter  ago,  the  eight  foniKlation  men,  to  ^J^l'^.^'^^'^a^ 
the  story  of  wliose  hves  you  have  hist  hstened,  were  here  o;atli-|'^"'^v, '^*'~i> 

•''  J  ,)  f  fD  Plym.  Col.  Laws 

ered  as  the  First  Chnreli  of  Christ  in  PittsfiehL  As  tJiey  leftP^,jjg^,jj^j.^g,.^f 
the  dwelling  where  they  had  signed  that  confession  of  faitli  and  New  Piymoutil 
covenant,  went,  and  in  that  short  procession  throngh  the  snow  Laws.^p  21'^°'' 
to  the  little  nieeting-honse,  there  walked  with  them,  after  their  thi^'^ciliony*  of 
omnipotent  God  and  the  Power  of  His  Word,  other  unseen  hut  Bay^neaaf Inc^ 
well-marshalled  forces;  those  of  human  government  and  of  Bay,  p.  °^^^^^' 
statute  law,  long  time  prepared.  Our  theme  involves  these  the  Province  of 
forces.  The  relation  of  an  old  I^ew  England  church  to  Town  setts  Bay^ffegn 
and  Parish  has  its  root  and  key  in  the  purposes  and  laws  of  the  Mass.  Bay, p'.  is. 

.    .       1        1       .    ,  The  Explana- 

Origniai  colonists.  tory    charter, 

To  preach  the  Gospel  unto  every  creature  was  a  command- l.  of  Mas.s. Bay 
ment  of  their  Lord,  although   He   came   not   to   institute   an 
earthly  government,  but  to  so  save  and  mould  man,  that  whether 
ruler  or  suhject  his  acts  and  institutions  should,  in  the  end,  he 
perfect  in  rigliteousness,  justice,  and  mercy. 

But  the  command  to  preach  seemed  paramount  to  men  who,  '^^^^,  Mayflow- 

J-  1  '  er   Compact, 

on  board  the  Mayflower,  had  solemnly  declared  that  they  had  ^^1',^^-  ^i^Vi  ilws 

undertaken  their  voyage  for  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  advance-  p-  '^• 

ment  of  the  CUiristian  faith;  and  to  their  successors,  who  reit-  General  Laws 

'  '  &  Liberties  of 

erated  tliat  the  ffreat  and  known  end  of  the  first  comers  was  ^^^  Plymouth 

~  Colony,    (1671.) 

that  they  might  enjoy  the  pure,  scriptural  worship  of  God,and  P'y^-'^'oi-Laws 
that  their  children  after  them  might  walk  in  the  holy  ways  of 
the  Lord. 

It  was  inevitable  that  such  men  should  seriously  consider  the 


40 

Laws  of  New  o;reat  defect  tliat  is  like  to  he  for  want  of  an  Al)le,  Godly, 

Plymouth.  Ses-  °.^..  .ii  •  . 

sion  of  1657.  Teaching  Ministry,  and  slionld  ordain  that  tJie  pnblic  worship 
p- 101.  and  service  of  God  slionld  be  maintained  in  every  township  ; 

Plymouth,  Ses- that  all  wlio  ill  aiiv  lazv,  slothful  (jr  i:»rofane  way  should  neglect 

Sion     of     1651.  t         i  n   ,     t  X  i  it    t  i-  11  1 

piym.  Col.  L.,  to  attend,  shonld  be  lined  or  pnl)licly  whipped ;  that  the  corn- 
Laws  of  New  fortal  )le  support  of  the  minister  shonld  l)e  assured  l)y  propor- 
siaos^of^'iels^  tional  taxes  npon  the  inhabitants  according  to  their  al)ilities  ; 
L.,  pp.  99,  ioi.  '  that  all  chnrches  orderly  gathered  should  be  protected  and  en- 
L?bCTtiefo?N^f''>^iragt?d  liy  the  government  in  their  peaceable  and  orderly 
viJton^of'iess"  w\alking,  and  the  Faithful,  Able,  Orthodox,  Teaching  Ministry 

Addressof  Sept  ,1  £    i    ^  ij  -iix 

29.   piym.  Col.  tlicreot  cluly  eiicouragcd  and  provided  lor. 
ses.^'  of   1662,      Similar  views  and  ordinances  obtained  in  the  Colony  of  Mas- 
i678.'piym.  ooL  sachusetts  Bay.     There  every  inhabitant  was  required  to  con- 
1:!),  186, 187.    'tribute   to   all   charges   both   in    Church   and  Commonwealth 

The  Oen.  Laws  ,,ii,i  •         ^  r>.i< 

&  Liberties  of  whereoi,  as  the  act  says,     he  doth  or  may  receive  beneiit. 

New  Plymouth  t  •  -r-»      n  r     t  -i  •  Ti  T  •      •!  f       1 

Colony.  Revis-  In  its  Bodj  01  Liberties  the  liberty  and  privileges  ot  the 
1,  p.  8;  ch.'3,  p.  cliurches  w^ere  abundantly  defined  ;   the  duty  of  the  Christian 

9,  10.  11,12;  Ch.  '^  .  .  ,        , 

8.  Piym  Col.  L.  niao-istrate  to  take  care  the  people  be  fed  with  wholesome  and 

p.  242,  248,  249,  »  /  '        -I 

-n^^'^J^-    T       sound  doctrine,  declared  :  contemiituous  behavior  towards  the 

The  Gen. Laws  ■>  t  i 

ti  ^m'^ss'^coi^  Preached  Word  or  the  messengers  thereof,  punished  ;  the  courts 
Title  *' charlts  PHipowered  to  ordcr  and  appoint  what  maintenance  should  be 
^i" tie"-'  Rccies-  allowcd  to  Ministers  provided  for  all  places  and  all  j^eople  within 
mstieai"  pp.  43-  ^]^g|j.  ^^atcs,  that  SO  the  name  of  their  Lord  being  known  and 
nTe'nNon- Free- exalted  lie  might  still  delight  in  them,  and  continue  his  favor- 
Titie^He^resiealde  presence,  and  their  unparalleled  en joyments both  temporal 
ff°'''"';P''*^- and  spiritual. 

imth,^"  pp.  132-"      The  people  of  the  Province  were  largely  of   Pilgrim  and 
Title  "sch'is"  Puritau  descent ;  they  had  been  reared  under  the  teachings  of 
Taws"o'f'i675.  the  Colouists,  and  t^ieir  laws  were  drafted  in  the  same  spirit. 
'lews  of  1677,      At  its  first  session  in  1602  the  Provincial  Legislature  enacted 

DD     49     50     5*)  •  • 

(240, 250. 259.^ '  statutcs  f Or  the  better  observation  and  keeping  of  the  Lord's 
pp.  66,  69,-7L  day,  and  for  the  settlement  and  support  of  Ministers  in  every 

<26()  269-271  )  .     , 

~"Ty thing- town.     Tlicsc  Ministers  were  first  to  be  selected  by  the  church, 

men's    Duty."  ,  .,-.11  ^  i  i^  -i   •_<•    ^i 

Mass.  Colonial  and  tlic  ciioicc  ratihed  by  the  town,  or  by  a  Council  it  they 
Same  statu- eould  iiot  agree.     Li  case  of  neglect,  the  courts  had  power  to 

tes.  also  found  ^  "^^  ,    ,  i   -x-     i 

inAnc.ch.&L.  (^.((inpel  tlic  settlement   and  sui)i)()rt  of  a  minister,  and  if  there 

of   Mass.   Bay.  1  ^  ^ 

pi).  41-211.  Mass.  Perpetual  Laws  (Ed  of  1742,')  Ch.  7,  pp.  14,  15 ;  Oh.  10,  pp  17,  18;  Ch.  12,  p.  21.  Mass. 
I'erpetual  Laws  (Ed.  of  1742,)  Oh.  20,  p.  36.  Act  of  1695,  Ch.  9,  p.  70.  Act  of  1702,  Ch.  3.  pp.  163,  154.  Act  of 
1718,  Ch.  8,  pp.  215,  216.  Aet  of  1742,  Ch.  8,  pp.  331,  332.  Act  of  1751,  Anc.  Ch.  &  L.  of  Mas.-*.  Bay,  Ch.  241, 
pp.  577,  578.      Act  of  1754,  Anc.  Ch.  &  L.  of  Mass.  Bay,  Ch.  259,  pp.  605,  606. 


41 

was  no  gathered  cliiircli  lie  sliould  be  selected  by  the  town  witli 
the  advice  of  three  neighboring  ordained  ministers. 

This  compnlsory  snpport  was  promised  to    al)le  and  learned    Act  of  i760, 

.  Anc.  Ch    &  L 

orthodox  ministers,  and  l)ecanse  some  ignorant  and  illiterate  per- of  Mass.  Bayi 

.     ,  Ch.  272,  pp  621, 

sons  had  been  settled,  assessments  for  the  snpport  of  a  minister  622. 
thereafter  settled  were  forbidden,  nnless  he  had  been  edncated 
at  some  university,  college,  or  pnblic  academy  for  instrnction  in 
the  learned  languages  and  in  the  arts  and  sciences,  or  had  re- 
ceived a  degree  from  such  an  institution,  or  a  testimonial,  under 
the  hands  of  the  majority  of  the  settled  ministers  of  the  county, 
that  he  was  of  sufficient  learning  to  qualify  him  for  the  work 
of  the  ministry. 

Under  such  laws,  the  territory  now  Pittsfield  was  set  apart 
for  a  townshiiD,  and  the  First  Church  of  Christ  in  Pittsfield  was 
gathered.  When  such  a  government  granted  new  townships, 
it  was  sure  to  make  precise  provisions  for  the  support  of  relig- 
ious teaching. 

.On  June  27,  1735,  the  town  of  Boston  obtained  a  right  to 
locate  three  townships  each  six  miles  square,  and  the  right  to 
Boston  Township  No.  3,  sold  in  June,  1736,  M^as  exercised  in 
1738,  when  the  plat  was  accepted  and  allowed. 

The  terms  of  the  grant  required  the  settlement  within  five  nist.  of  Pitts- 
years  of  sixty  families  of  His  Majesty's  good  subjects,  inhabi- 65,  ec.  °"  '^^' 
tants  of  the  Province,  who  should  improve  their  lands,  build 
and  finish  a  suitable  and  convenient  home  for  the  public  wor- 
ship of  God,  settle  a  learned  orthodox  minister,  and  provide 
for  his  honorable  and  comfortable  support ;  and  also  to  lay  out 
three  house-lots,  similar  to  the  sixty  for  the  settlers  families, 
each  to  draw  a  sixty-third  part  of  the  common  land,  one  to  be 
for  the  first  settled  minister,  one  for  the  ministry,  and  one  for 
the  schools. 

This  township  was  known  until  1761  as  the  Plantation  of    Hist,  of  pittf?- 

T-.  r  •  -,  T  .  .-      ^        field,  Vol.  1,  p. 

Pontoosuc.     It  was  not  incorporated  as  a  plantation  until  17o3, 9i- 

If!  '       n  r  "*  ^^  incor- 

and  on  September  12th  of  that  year  its  first  formal  proprietor's  portion  not 

meetino"  was  held.  general   act 

mccLiUj.,    wrto  iici^i.  ^     ^  ^  1751-2,  Ch.  1,  A. 

It  voted  a  tax  of  three  shillings  on  each  settling  lot  for  the^^^^Sf  p- of 

c5  o  Mass.    Bav-    n 


Mass.    Bay,    p. 
-S5. 

Hist,  of  Pitts- 
house,  and  raised  committees  to  agree  with  some  suitable  per-  gg ''''  ^'"'- ''  p- 


support  of  preaching,  forty  pounds  for  building  a   meeting- ^''■^- 


42 

son  or  persons  to  preacli,  and  to  manage  the  whole  affair  of  the 
meetinghouse. 

In   1761  the  plantation  of  Pontoosuc  became  the  Town  of 

^cts  &^n^.of  Pittsfield,  by  an  act  providing  that  no  inhabitant  or  proprietor, 

m^4l^^'  ^'  ^^'  6xcei)t  those  holding  the  sixty  original  lots,  shonld  l)e  obliged  to 

pay  any  part  or  proportion  of  the  charge  toward  settling  the 

first  minister  or  building  a  meeting-house. 

Thus  the  newly  gathered  church  found  ready  a  civil  govern- 
ment whose  main  purpose  was  to  protect  and  aid  religion.  A 
town  charged  with  the  duty  and  clothed  witli  the  power  of 
furnishing  financial  support.  Certain  landed  proprietors  who 
had  contracted  to  build  a  place  of  worshij)  and  supply  the  ma- 
terial inducements  for  the  settlement  of  a  minister.  Awaiting 
that  settlement  to  become  his  absolute  property,  a  settling  lot 
of  one  hundred  acres,  including  the  site  of  this  edifice,  and 
other  lands  drawn  in  the  division  of  the  commons.  Also  a 
similar  lot  and  lands  drawn  by  it,  devoted  to  the  support  of  the 

Prov.Laws,8t.  J       '  .    ,  ,     „       i.^. 

1754,  ch  12  §2.  ministry,  the  income  of  which  would  be  the  minister  s  for  life, 

A.  it  Res.  of  P.  -^  ■  ^ 

of  Mass.  Bay,  a^d  which  could  be  sold  only  with  his  concurrence. 

Vol.  4,  pp.  778,  _  _      ''         _ 

'^TT-  ^     c  T, VK.        In  advance  of  his  coming  this  corner  of  the  minister's  lot 

Hist,   of  Pitts-  c5 

fi||<^jVoi.  i.pp.  jja^(j  been  cleared  and  appropriated  for  a  burial  ground  and 
church  common.  A  meeting  house  had  been  erected,  and, 
though  unfinished,  was  in  use  for  religious  and  town  meetings. 
Several  candidates  had  been  received,  and  he  who  was  to  be- 
come the  first  settled  minister  had  preached  as  a  probati<mer 
since  the  early  part  of  the  preceding  December.  To  effectuate 
the  settlement,  the  concurrence  of  church,  proprietors,  town, 
and  candidate  was  necessary,  and  the  approval  of  a  council  of 
neighboring  churches  usual. 

With  perfect  unanimity  the  Clmrch  on  March  5,  ]  764,  elected 
its  pastor ;  the  Town  ratified  the  clioice  and  voted  a  salary  of 
sixty  pounds  a  year  to  be  increased  five  pounds  anmially  up  to 
eighty  pounds,  and  the  Proprietors  voted  ninety  poilnds  in 
three  yearly  instalments  to  enable  him  to  settle  himself  among 
among  them.  These  terms  were  accepted  on  March  20,  1764, 
and  the  ordination  solemnized  on  the  18th  of  April. 
Hist  of  Pitts-      By  these  acts  the  first  minister  of  Pittsfield  was  settled,  and 

field,  Vol.  1,  pp.  -^  „  p     ,  .    .  ,     1  ,  1  . 

164. 165.  became  owner  in  fee  of  the  minister  s  home  and  out  lots,  enti- 


43 

tied  to  the  income  of  the  ininistiy  lands,  and  to  have  his  yearly 
salary  assessed  upon  the  polls  and  estates  of  the  inhabitants  of 
tlie  town,  and  collected  and  paid  over  to  him  by  its  officers. 
One  of  his   first  acts,  an  earnest  of  his   pnljlic   spirit,  was  to  Hist,  of  pitts- 

n  T  1111  •  ,•    1  •      1  1        field,  Vol.  1,  p. 

confirm  to  tlie  town   by  deed  that  portion  oi  ins  home  lot,  leo.  Phampiiiet 

1  •    1      1      p  1  ■  -111  1  1  IT  of  Rev-  William 

which,  beiore  his  coming,  Jiad  been  devoted  to  public  uses.         Alien. 

By  finishing  the  meeting-house,  and  the  payment  of  their 
ninety  pounds,  the  proprietors  fulfilled  their  obligations,  and 
thereafter  had  no  corporate  connection  with  churcli  or  ministry. 
Charged  with  the  duty  of  maintaining  the  worship  of  God, 
were  the  minister,  the  church  and  the  town. 

The  church,  presided  over  by  the  minister  as  moderator  of 
its  meetings,  had  sole  authority  in  matters  of  membership  and 
discipline.  Its  proceedings  were  recorded  in  its  own  church 
records. 

The  inhal)itants  of  the  town,  in  their  corporate  capacity, 
raised  the  money  necessary  to  pay  the  minister's  salary,  the  ex- 
penses of  the  meeting-house  and  of  conducting  public  worship. 
They  met  for  secular  purposes  in  the  meeting-house,  and  by 
their  committees  regulated  the  order  in  which  the  coiiffreiratic ui  Hist,  of  Pitts- 

,     ,  •  .1  •    w         X-    ,1        4;  jT  •     field.  Vol.  1,  pp. 

were  seated,  saving  tlie  rigJits  01  the  few  owners  01  pews  m  is'^.  i54. 
the  original  edifice.  The  selectmen  had  care  of  tlie  meeting- 
house as  of  other  town  property.  Order  during  religious  ser- 
vices was  enforced  by  tithingmen,  officers  chosen  by  tlie  town. 
Ecclesiastical  and  secular  matters  were  considered  in  the  same 
meetings,  under  articles  of  the  same  warrants,  and  the  votes 
were  recorded  by  the  town  clerk  in  the  same  record. 

Whoever  l)y  residence  or  birth  became  an  inhabitant  of  the  st.  i69s?,  ch.  36, 

,.    1  1  1    p  1  §§1,3.    St.  1693, 

town  was  liable  as  such  to  be  taxed  for  the  support  of  preach- t-'-^e,  §§7-11.  a. 

.  J-^  ^  &  Res.  of  Plov. 

ing,  and,  if  a  voter,  had  voice  and  vote  m  town  meeting  upon  °^  ^''^^^^  ^ay, 

~       ,        ,  -  .  or         pp.  62, 103,  103. 

ecclesiastical  as  upon  other  questions. 

The  only  legal  exceptions  were  Quakers,  Baptists  and  Epis-    Piym.  coi. 

T-.  1  ir..  Laws,  pp.   102, 

coixilians.     By  temporary  laws,  renewed  from  time  to  time,  the  103. 114, 123, 125, 

■^      „  T  .  .  TIP  1  136,127,129,130. 

two  former  denominations  were  relieved  from  habilitv  for  as-    Mass.  coi. 

„  ,      .        .      1  "^  Laws,    pp.    48, 

sessments  for  ecclesiastical  purposes  :  and  by  a  standing  law  the  ^O;?^'  ^^^^  ^^o. 

.  ^  Prov.    Laws, 

town  treasurer  must  deliver  to  their  own  minister  taxes  for  the  J™^',S-.^°'  ^°^- 

1,  p.  505. 

support  of  public  worship  collected  of  professed  members  of  vori"^'  ^%t- 
the  church  of  England,  if  such  minister  and  his  church  war-'^^i^j.g.go  ^^.jj  g 


44 

Vol.  a,  pp.  543, dens  certified  to  their  memberslii])  and  usual  attendance;  and 

544. 

1731-2,  ch.  11,  in  all  tliese  cases  the  Quaker,  the  iJaiitist  and  the  Ei)iscopalian 

Vol.  2,  pp.  619,  ,         .  ^  ^  ^ 

'^^?;,o.  .        n  were  debarred  from  voting  in  town  nieetinii;  npon  ecclesiastical 

1734-5,  un.  6,  o  &      1 

Vol.  2,  pp.  714,  matters. 

'  1740-41,  Ch.  6,  Vol.  2,  pp.  1021,  1032.  1747-8,  Ch.  G,  Vol.  3,  p.  368.  1752-3,  Ch.  15,  Vol.  3,  pp.  644,  G45. 
1755-6,  Ch.  32,  Vol.  3,  pp.  915,  916.  17.57-8,  Ch.  20,  Vol.  4,  pp.  67,  68,  3  Gray,  34.  1758-9,  Ch.  18,  §5,  Vol.  4, 
pp.  180,  181.  1760-1,  Ch.  21,  Vol.  4,  pp.  419,  420.  176.3-4,  Ch.  25,  Vol.  4,  p.  681.  1770-1,  Ch.  10,  Vol.  5,  pp. 
111-113.  1774,  Ch.  6,  Vol.  5,  pp.  392-.394.  1777-8,  Ch.  4,  Vol.  5,  p.  732.  1779-80,  Ch.  18,  Vol.  5,  pp.  1120- 
1125.     1743,  Ch.  8,  Vol.  3,  p.  25.    Laws  of  Mass.  Vol.  1,  p.  546.    St.  1797,  C.  23.    St.  1799,  C.  87. 

iis^7'Ma™^89'^      Besides  these  provisions  the  legislature,  by  special  acts,  crea- 

v^coie"8^Mass^^^^  Poll-Pai'ishes,  of  certain  named  persons  and  their  estates, 

^'^kino-sbury  v  ^^^^  provided  modes  by  which  others  could  join  them.     Mem- 

suack,  8  Mass.  |^gj.g  ^f  sucli  Poll-parishcs,  by  tiling  proper  certificates  with  the 

Town  Clerk,   were  lialjle  to  assessment  in  their  own  parish. 

They  were  not  in  terms  debarred  from  voting  in  town  meetings 

upon  ecclesiastical  questions,  but  usually  did  refrain. 

St.  1785,  ch.      The  effect  of  the  creation  of  a  poll-parish  in  any  town,  was 

10."    Laws  of  that  its  remaining  inhabitants  in  their  corporate  capacity  there- 

pp.s2\26i'      upon  l)ecame  a  parish,  and  the  First  or  Princiiml  parish  in  that 

77.    Law's  ot  place,  and  so  remained  chariJ:ed  with  its  relio-ious  duties.    Upon 

Mass.,VoI.  3,  p.  ^  '  ,  ,  '^  °     ,  \ 

157  such  a  separation  the  corporate  proi)erty  of  the  town  was  l)y 

I'illingham  v.  .  .    . 

Snow,  5  Mass-,  operation  of  law  divided.     That  portion  which  had  been  held 
Brunswick  for  sccular  i)uriwses  remained  the  i)roi>erty  of  all  the  inhabi- 

Pansh  V.  Dun-  ^        ^  I       i         J 

nins,  7  Mass.  tants  in  their  corporate  capacity  as  a  town;  l)ut  that  held  for 
Minotv.  Cur- j.yiio'ious  uscs  Ijccamc  the  peculiar  i)roi)erty  of  the  First  parish. 

lis,  7  Mass.  441.          o                                                        1                    I       I         J  i 

Brown  v.  Porter,  10  Mass.  97.    Milton  Parish  v.   Milton,  10  Pick,  447.    Shrewsbury  Parish  v.  Smith, 

14  Pick,  297.  Ludlow  v.  Sikes,  19  Pick,  317.  Medford  Parish  v.  Medford,  31  Pick'  199.  Tobey  v.  Ware- 
ham  Bank,  13  Met.  440.    Sudbury  Parish  v.  Jones,  8  Cu.shing,  184. 

After  such  a  sei)aration  the  officers  of  the  town  were,  not- 
withstanding, ex-ojficlo  the  officers  of  the  First  parish.     It  was 
Tho'mVs^   j^^the   regular,    although    not   the    usual,  practice   to   deal   with 
^Asheiy v.wei-  ecclcsiastical  matters  in  meetings  called  for  that  purpose  alone, 
hngton,  8  Pick,  ^j^^l  ^^j  wliicli  ouly  tliosc  entitled  to  vote  with  the  First  i)arish 
were  warned. 

This  was  in  substance  the  legal  status  until  1 834.  The  state 
Parti,  Art.  III!  constitution  of  17S(J  reaffirmed  the  right  of  government  to  re- 
(piire  suitable  provision  for  public  worshij)  and  the  support  of 
ministers,  and  to  enjoin  attendance  at  church,  l)ut  declared  that, 
if  the  tax  payer  re<]uired  it,  all  moneys  paid  by  him  should  l)e 
uniformly  applied  to  the  support  of  the  minister  of  his  own 


45 

religions  sect  or  clenouiinatiou,  on  whose   instrnctions  he  at- 
tended. 

Ko  legislation  was  framed  to  carry  out  this  constitutional 
provision  until  1799,  when  all  the  old  statutes  were  repealed  by 
an  act  conlirniing  the  liberties  and  privileges  of  the  churches, 
requiring  every  town,  parish,  and  religious  society  to  be  con-    st.iToa,  c.87, 
stantly  provided  with  a  public  protestant  teacher  of  piety,  re- Voi.  2,  pp.  31-33! 
ligion,  and  morality,  with   power   to  lay  taxes  for  his  support. 
But  the  assessors  might  omit  those  who  Ijelonged  to  and  usually 
attended  another  denomination,  and,  if  taxed,  they  might  by 
filling  a  certificate   ])rocure  the  payment   of  the  tax  to  their 
own  ministers.     This  statute  declared  the  law  as  it  had  been    Barnes  v.  Fai- 
understood  and  acted  ui)on  by  the  i)eople,  and  when  in  1810  it  ™Mas^.  4^1"^''' 
w^as  unexpectedly  construed  by  the  Court  to  provide  for  pay-  fiJid^  Parish^^r 
ments  to  ministers  of  incorporated  religious  societies  only,  the  ^smith^v.  Da'- 
Legislature   by  a  new  "Act  Respecting  Public  Worship  andAbr'337.    ^^^^ 
Religious  Freedom,"  promptly  placed  members  of  unincorpo- Laws  of  Mass.! 
rated  religious  societies  upon  the  same  footing;  and  in  this  are.'   ' '^^''  '' 
statute  the  limitation  jjrotestant  is  not  found. 

In  1824  an  easy  mode  of  changing  membership  from  one  ^p^^^**^!' "jg^^^, 
religious  society  to  another  of  the  same  or  a  different  denomi- y^]^|  °  p^^l^l^' 
nation  was  provided,  and  the  taxing  of  a  citizen  who  belonged 
to  any  religious  society  by  any  other  was  forbidden. 

The  principles  of  compulsory  membership  of  some  parish, 
and  of  compulsory  contribution  by  taxation  for  the  expense  of 
public  worship,  still  remained  in  the  constitution  and  the 
statutes. 

The  adoi)tion  of  the  eleventh  constitutional  amendment  in    const.  Amdt. 

Art  XI  St  1834 

1834,  and  the  enactment  of  a  statute  of  that  year,  freed  tliech.'i83.    The 
towns  from  obligation  to  supi)ort  relio;ious  teachino*  and  wor-i832-i834,  pp! 

.  .  .  197-301. 

ship,  left  every  one  free  to  withdraw  from  his  parish  or  society    h.  ]'834,  ch. 
without  joining  another,  and  declared  that  no  person  thereafter 
should  be  made  a  member  without  his  own  express  consent. 

The  power  of  parishes  and  religious  societies  to  tax  actual  i8.f*s4^^'"'  *^^' 
members  was  however  expressly  reaffirmed,  and  remained  until    st.i88r,c.4i9. 
the  first  day  of  January,  1888,  when,  under  the   operation  of 
an  act  which  declares  that  religious  societies  shall  not  assess 
taxes  on  the  polls  or  estates  of  their  members,  it  finally  expired. 


46 

Foniuled  in  and  regulated  Ijy  these  laws,  the  story  of  the  re- 
lations of  the  First  Church  to  the  Town  and  Parish  is  credita- 
ble ;  displaying  depth  of  Christian  feeHng  on  the  part  of  the 
church,  liberality  and  wisdom  on  the  part  of  the  town,  and  com- 
plete fulfilment  of  duty  Ijy  the  Parish. 
St.  lr9^  C.28,      The  first  poll-parisli,  a"  Baptist  society,  was  chartered  in  1795, 
voi.'a,  pp.  4, 5.' and  by  that  act,  under  the  general  law,  the  First  Parish  came 
into  legal  existence. 
,- .    fn-4+        Before  this  time,  however,  the  number  of   Baptists,  Episco- 

Hist,  or  1  itts-  1        p     1 

field,  Vol.  1,  c.  palians,  and  Shakers,  had  increased  to  about  a  tenth  of  the  ijoiv 

2!v,  24,  25.  ^  "  , 

ulation.  But  in  the  conduct  (»f  town  affairs  the  presence  of 
these  denominations  was  practically  ignored.  The  town  meet- 
ing voted  the  minister's  salary,  made  appropriations  to  reim- 
burse liis  losses  consequent  upon  his  patriotic  services  to  the 
country,  and  dealt  with  the  })roceeds  of  the  sale  of  the  ministry 
and  school  lands,  as  though  there  were  no  conflicting  feelings 
and  interests.  This  course  gave  rise  to  so  much  dissension  that 
in  1788  a  formal  attempt  was  made  w^ith  some  success  to  re- 
move the  causes  of  uneasiness.  The  work  of  building  the 
second  meeting-house  was  commenced  immediately  after  this 
episode.  The  town  devoted  to  it  as  well  as  the  proceeds  of  a 
tax  levied  upon  all  its  inhabitants,  as  the  funds  already  in  its 
treasury  realized  from  the  sale  of  the  ministry  and  school  lands. 
This  appropriation  of  the  town  moneys  was  unsatisfactory  to 
the  citizens  who  did  not  worship  with  the  First  Church,  and 
they  protested  against  the  collection  of  the  tax.  The  town  at 
first  stoutly  maintained  its  position,  but,  when  it  became  appa- 
rent that  a  suit  brought  l)y  a  dissenter  against  its  assessors  and 
collector  would  be  successful,  they  gracefully  assented  to  the 
payment  of  the  dissenters'  meeting-house  taxes  to  their  own 
religious  teachers,  and  so  this  trouble  was  for  the  time  ended. 

The  whole  town  was  justly  proud  of  the  new  meeting-house 

of  1790   and  although  in  the  town  records  no  mention  is  made 

that  it  was  intended  for  religious  purposes,  and  in  the  church 

records  no  intimation  that  it  was  building  for  their  use,  it  was 

Hist,  of  Pitts- never  used  for  town  meetings  or  secular  purposes. 

clMSphi^tt      From  its  completion  ai)parent  (piiet  reigned  until   political 

Atben<Dum,etc.  jig^j.^^^^^.j.  became  so  bitter  as  to  divide  the  inhabitants  of  the 


47 

town  into   two  apparently  irreconcilable  factions,  almost    like 

liostile  armies.  The  clmrcli  itself  was  rent  in  twain.  On  the  27th 

of  Fehrnary,  1809,  the  two  honses  of  the  Legislature,  hy  an  act 

which  the  Governor  wonld  not  sign,  incorporated  the  disaffected    st.  i809,c.i03. 

conii-regationalists  into  a  reliii-ious  society  by  the  name  of  ''  Un-  usual  Editions 

-r.       •    1     ,,  1   1  -i"  .  1  of     13-WS. 

ion  i  arisli,  and  by  an  exparte  council  a  new  congregational 
clmrch  was  organized.  These  new  organizations  contained 
nearly  half  of  the  congregationalists  in  numbers  and  more  than 
half  in  wealth.  The  controversy,  in  press,  pamphlet,  corres- 
pondence, and  conversation,  was  most  bitter  and  distressing.  In 
its  midst  the  first  minister  of  the  town  finished  his  earthly 
work,  and  his  son  was  settled  in  his  place.  On  October  28d,  pittsfid  Town 
1809,  the  town  voted  $400.00  for  the  support  of  the  ministry,  H^'lfp.  ^S 
to  be  assessed  exclusively  on  the  polls  and  estates  of  the  niem- ^^^' ^^^' ^^^' *^^' 
bers  of  the  First  })arish,  and  ordered  the  bell  ringei"  to  ring 
the  meeting-house  bell  for  the  accommodation  of  all  the  differ- 
ent parishes.  The  next  year  there  was  no  article  in  the  town 
warrant  concerning  preaching,  l)ut  the  whole  income  of  the 
town  funds  was  voted  for  the  support  of  schools.  The  only 
other  mention  of  ecclesiastical  matters  in  the  town  records, 
until  1817,  is  an  endeavor  to  call  the  town  treasurer  to  account 
for  having  paid  the  income  of  the  town  funds  to  the  minister, 
notwithstanding  the  orders  of  the  town  to  the  contrary. 

But  however  impossible  it  seemed,  this  estrangement  was 
happily  if  not  speedily  terminated.  By  mutual  action  the  two 
congregational  churches  were  made  one  in  the  year  1817,  and 
the  legislature,  by  an  act  respecting  the  support  of  public  ^vtlss-^lp!  Laws', 
worship  in  the  Town  of  Pittsfield,  consolidated  the  Union  ^  °''  ^'  '^'  ^^^' 
parish  with  the  First  parish,  and  reinstated  it  in  the  position 
occupied  by  the  Town  as  to  ecclesiastical  affairs  before  1809. 
IS^othing  can  be  more  satisfactory  or  instructive  than  the  story 
of  this  reunion,  due  very  much  to  the  nnselfish  christian  spirit 
of  the  pastors  of  the  two  churches,  each  of  whom  resigned  his 
settlement  to  ensure  it,  and  thoroughly  cemented  by  the  tact 
and  zeal  of  the  wise  divine  who  became  pastor  njjon  the  i-e- 
union. 

From  this  time  the  town  resumed  its  functions  in  connection 


48 

witli  the  cliiircli,  transacting  its  ecclesiastical  business  in  sepa- 
rate meetings,  kee})ing  in  view  the  distinction  between  that  and 
the  ordinary  town  matters,  and  causing  the  moneys  to  be  as- 
sessed and  collected  upon  the  j)olls  and  estates  of  the  members 
of  the  congregational  society.  Tlie  limits  of  the  parish  land 
field?  Vol.'  2,  were  fixed  upon  the  present  lines  by  deed  from  the  inhabitants 
die  Dist.  Keg.  of  the  Towu,  and  all  went  smoothly  until  the  constitutional 
amendment  and  legislation  of  1834-  relieved  the  town  from 
ecclesiastical  duties. 

Since  that  time  the  First  Church  has  been  ministered  to  in 
financial  matters  by  the  First  Parish,  with  what  faithfulness 
and  good  will  this  edifice  and  its  appurtenances,  and  the  work 
and  benefactions  of  which  it  has  been  the  scene  and  center, 
attest.  Until  recently  the  people  of  the  Town  were  wont  to  come 
to  tliis  spot,  as  to  tlieir  home,  for  union  services  of  Fast  and  of 
Thanksgiving.  May  they  never  relin(|uish  the  habit  of  here 
offering  their  prayers  at  sunrise  upon  the  first  morning  of  each 
new  year. 

Sucli  is  the  outline  of  tlie  historical  relations  between  church, 
parish,  and  town.  Whoever  would  see  it  clothed  upon  with  the 
personality  of  the  actors,  and  would  know  accurately  and  intim- 
ately their  trials  and  triumphs,  their  depths  of  dissention  and 
bickering,  and  their  happy  heights  of  peace  and  reconciliation, 
has  only  to  consult  the  admiraljle  and  complete  narrative  pre- 
pared by  the  Historian  of  Fittsfield. 

For  more  tlian  a  century  and  a  half  tliis  ground  has  been  set 
apart  for  religious  uses.  Never  lias  it  known  the  ownership  of 
a  private  individual  for  private  ends.  No  })lough,  held  by  hus- 
bandman seeking  earthly  liarvest,  has  scarred  its  surface.  13y 
no  structure  reared  for  man's  own  gain,  or  pride,  or  pleasure, 
has  it  ever  been  ])olluted.  It  is  in  trutli  virgin  soil.  "The 
groves  were  God's  first  temples."  How  grand  and  stately  were 
the  arches  and  aisles  of  the  temple  builded  here  by  the  inanimate 
forces  of  nature  l)efore  man's  coming,  you  may  know  by  re- 
calling the  tall  and  shajjely  stem  and  glorious  crown  of  tlie  old 
elm,  which  stood  so  long  watching  this  hallowed  ground. 

"  All  creatures  praise  him."  Who  shall  say  whether  the 
tuneful  chorus  of   birds  mini>;lino;  with   the   murmur   of  the 


49 

summer  wind  in  tliat  matchless  grove  ;  tliesigli  of  the  southern 
zephyr,  the  bitter  wail  of  winter  gales  through  giant  hemlocks 
once  standing  here,  were  not  some  dim  rehearsal  of  the  song 
and  prayer  of  Christian  worship  which  have  now  so  long  as- 
cended from  this  spot. 

Who  shall  say  that  the  wild  flower  springing  from  the  un- 
trodden sward,  bathed  with  golden  sunlight  flickering  through 
the  leaves,  did  not  show  forth  the  lily  and  the  rose  upon  this 
altar  sheltered  by  these  walls,  glowing  in  the  light  of  these 
jeweled  windows,  thrilling  as  this  air  pulsates  with  sacred  music, 
with  grace  of  form,  with  perfume  and  with  color,  in  this  sacri- 
ficial ending  of  their  lives,  praising  Him  ! 

Even  as  this  site  has  been  saved  throughout  the  ages  for  its 
present  use,  so,  by  His  Providence,  have  the  Parish  and  the 
Church  been  kept,  and  are  to-day  here  !  Strong !  But  now 
with  no  strength  borrowed  from  the  arm  of  civil  authority,  and 
in  the  present  rather  than  the  standing  order,  ready  and  a])le, 
without  forced  or  extraneous  human  aid,  to  spread  abroad  yet 
more  effectually  the  "  glad  tidings  of  great  joy  to  all  men." 


50 

In  1809  a  petition  was  presented  to  the  General  Cpnrt  asking 
tliat  "  a  poll-parisli  hy  tlie  name  of  '  Union  Parisli'  be  incorpo- 
rated in  tlie  town  of  Pittsiield." 

In  accordance  with  tlie  prayer  of  this  petition,  an  Act  was 
passed   by  botli  lionses  of  the  Legislature,  February  25,  1S09 
entitled  "An  Act  to  incorporate  certain  persons,  inhabitants  of 
the  town  of  Fittsfield,  into  a  Religious  Society  l)y  the  name  of 
'Union  Parish,''  in  the  town  of  Fittsfield." 

The  following  })ersons  were  tlie  incorporators  named  in  said 
act :  Woodbridge  Little,  Butler  Goodrich,  William  Hollister, 
Titus  Goodman,  Titus  Goodman,  Jr.,  Daniel  Pepoon,  James  I). 
Colt,  Jr.,  Daniel  James,  David  Campbell,  David  Campbell,  Jr., 
Samuel  D.  Colt,  John  Sanford,  Jeremy  Warriner,  Ralph  War- 
riner,  Milo  Smith,  Lemuel  Pomeroy,  Nathaniel  Dexter,  Aaron 
l^ewell,  Reul)en  Brooks,  John  Churchill,  Jr.,  Fredericd  Drake, 
Enoch  White,  Ambrose  Collins,  Moses  Root,  Ashbel  Strong, 
Thomas  B.  Strong,  John  C.  Williams,  Ebenezer  Center,  Israel 
Peck,  William  Kittredge,  Richard  Barnard,  John  W.  Ilulburt, 
Charles  Goodrich,  Charles  Goodi-ich,  Jr.,  Nathaniel  Fairfield, 
Joseph  Gasper,  Zebulon  Reed,  Nathan  Clark,  Joseph  Fairfield, 
Joseph  Fairfield,  Jr.,  Appleton  Whitney,  Elkanah  Watson, 
Richard  Campl)ell,  Benjamin  Newell,  Abner  Root,  Edward 
Eells,  Rufus  Shmnway,  Josiali  Willard,  Stephen  Mead,  Will- 
iam Cadwell,  Royal  D.  Cadwell,  Benjamin  Luce,  Josiah  Raot, 
Wills  Fowler,  Arthur  Scholfield,  Henry  Taylor,  Moses  Hay- 
den,  Jr.,  Ephraim  Mead,  Benjamin  Kent,  Jose})h  Merritt,  Na- 
thaniel Tremain,  Theodore  Hinsdale,  Jr.,  Isaac  Ward,  Ephraim 
Durwin,  Ephraim  Durwin,  Jr.,  Alanson  Durwin,  Nathaniel 
Fairfield,  Jr.,  Enoch  Fairfield,  John  Fairfield,  Absalom  Backus, 
Elisha  Ely,  William  Wilbur,  William  Partridge,  Ira  West, 
Jashub  B.  Luce,  Zebediah  Stiles,  Daniel  Chapman,  Timothy 
Haskell,  Reuben  Haskell,  Sidney  Haskell,  Henry  James,  James 
Buell,  Isaac  Goodale,  William  W.  Colt,  Seaborn  Burt,  Ei-astus 
Sacket,  Elias  Keller,  Henry  Peck,  Benjamin  Keeler,  Joseph 
Keeler,  Ephraim  Stiles,  Thomas  Gold,  Rufus  Johnson,  Titus 
Wright,  Isaac  Freeman,  Timothy  Cadwell,  Jason  Clapp,  Jona- 
than Childs,  Isaiah  Hungerford,  Calvin  Sears,  Jonathan  Wes- 
ton, Thomas  Selvey,  Ste])hen  Fowler,  Eliphalet  Case,  Ezra 
Colton,  Ephraim  Stiles  and  (^uentus  Pomeroy.' 


THE  CONGREGATIONAL  MINISTERIAL  FUND. 


BY  WILLIAM  R.   PLUNKETT. 


Woodln-idge  Little,  whose  will  was  dated  March  20,  1S13, 
and  which  was  admitted  to  probate  August  3,  1818,l)eqneathed 
to  the  Union  Parish  five  hundred  dollars  for  establishing  a  fund, 
the  interest  of  whicli  was  to  be  paid  yearly  toward  the  salary 
of  the  ministei*  of  that  Parish,  and  he  directed  that  the  fund 
be  placed  in  the  hands  of  Trustees.  He  says,  "And  as  it  has 
always  l)een  my  sincere  and  ardent  desire  to  prevent  the  causes, 
and  avoid  the  conse(piences,  of  the  unhappy  divisions  which 
have  taken  place  in  the  Congregational  Society  in  this  town, 
and  Mdiich  has  issued  in  the  establishment  of  Union  Parisli, 
so  if,  at  any  time,  an  Union  should  be  eifected  between  the  two 
societies  and  Churches,  on  principles  of  Christian  charity,  and 
they  become  in  fact  one  society  and  church,  it  is,  in  that  case, 
my  will  and  desire  that  said  sum  be  appropriated  for  the  same 
purpose  and  in  the  same  manner  for  the  United  Society." 

In  1822  the  Legislature  of  the  State  passed  an  Act  to  incor- 
porate the  Trustees  of  the  Ministerial  Fund  in  the  town  of 
Pittsiield,  and  Deacon  Daniel  Crowfoot,  Calvin  Martin,  Samuel 
M.  McKay,  Thomas  B.  Strong,  Joseph  Shearer,  JSTathan  Willis 
and  John  C.Williams, were  named  in  the  act  as  Trustees.  The 
object  of  the  Corporation  was  declared  to  be  "•  the  j^rudent 
management  of  the  fund  of  the  Congregational  Society  in  said 
town."  The  Corporation  was  authorized  to  dispose  of  the 
''ministerial  lot  of  land."  The  Trustees  were  holden  "to  ren- 
der to  the  Congregational  Society  a  true  account  of  their 
doings  yearly."  They  were  also  rerpiired  "  to  provide  that  the 
income  of  the  fund  shall  be  duly  and  regularly  applied  to  the 
use  designed,  to  wit:  to  the  support  of  the  public  worship  of 
God  in  said  Society."    The  corporation  was  organized  under  this 


52 

act,  at  the  otfice  of  John  Chandler  Wilhauis,  May  Y,  1823,  and 
John  Chandler  WilHams  was  chosen  President,  Sanmel  M. 
McKay,  Clerk,  and  Calvin  Martin,  Treasurer,  the  last  named 
gentleman  continuing  in  office  until  1851. 

The  Presidents  of  the  Corporati(jn  have  been  John  Chandler 
Williams,  Joseph  Shearer,  Nathan  Willis,  Thomas  B.  Strong, 
Phinehas  Allen,  Edwin  Clapp,  William  11.  Plunkett. 

The  Treasurers,  Calvin  Martin,  Henry  G.  Davis,  John  P. 
Warriner. 

The  Clerks,  Samuel  M.  McKay,  Calvin  Martin,  Henry  G. 
Davis,  John  K.  Warriner. 

In  1827  the  Corporation  received  for  the  sale  of  the  remain- 
ing part  of  the  ministry  lot,  reserved  at  the  sale  of  the  "  Town 
Commons,"  seven  hundred  dollars.  In  1831  the  Trustees  re- 
ceived from  the  avails  of  a  fund  left  by  John  R.  Crocker,  the 
interest  of  which  had  been  paid  to  his  daughter  during  her  life- 
time, the  sum  of  four  hundred  and  seventy-six  dollars  and 
ninety-four  cents.  In  1832  the  will  of  Daniel  Crowfoot  was 
admitted  to  probate,  which  gave  the  Trustees  the  sum  of  five 
hundred  dollars,  "  the  interest  of  which  is  to  be  applied  annu- 
ally to  the  support  of  tlie  gospel  in  the  Congregational  Society 
in  the  town  of  Pittsiield,"  but  this  becpiest  was  not  to  be  paid 
until  the  death  of  his  wife,  which  occurred  in  1863. 

In  1855  the  Trustees  sold  to  the  Center  School  District,  and 
others,  a  small  portion  of  the  northwest  part  of  the  parsonage 
lot,  for  which  they  received  $300. 

The  monies  received  by  the  Trustees,  as  stated,  amount  to 
twenty -four  hundred  and  seventy-seven  dollars. 

In  1843  the  Trustees  paid  to  the  First  Congregational  Parish 
the  entire  fund  in  their  hands,  viz.,  the  sum  of  $1,676. 9-1,  and 
received  therefor  an  absolute  deed  of  the  parsonage  lot  on 
South  Street,  and  in  1859  made  a  further  payment  of  $300,  to 
be  expended  in  improvements  and  additions  to  the  parsonage. 

The  use  of  the  parsonage  house  and  lot  is  furnished  to  the 
l*arish,  as  the  interest  of  that  sum,  and  the  remaining  sum, 
five  hundred  dollars,  is  invested  in  a  United  States  bond,  and 
tlie  income  thereof  annually  paid  to  the  Treasurer  of  the 
I'arish. 


53 

The  first  parsonage  was  erected  by  the  Rev.  Thomas  Allen, 
at  the  corner  of  East  and  First  Streets,  shortly  after  he  was 
settled  as  the  pastor  of  the  Church.  It  was  a  two-story  well 
built  frame  house,  and  was  of  the  better  class  of  houses  built 
previous  to  the  year  1800. 

It  was  not  until  1840  that  the  Parish  became  the  owner  of  a 
parsonage.  In  that  year  it  bought  of  Deacon  Josiah  Bissell 
the  present  parsonage  lot.  The  house  upon  this  lot  was  burned 
in  1842,  and  the  present  parsonage  was  l)uilt  by  Abraham  Bur- 
bank,  and  has  from  time  to  time  been  added  to  and  made  to 
conform  to  the  modern  ideas  of  a  comfortal)le  home. 


A   FEW   FACTS 


CONCERNING    THE    BUILlJINt;    OV    THE 

FIRST  CHURCH  IN  PITTSFIELD  IN  mM-l 


BY  JOHN  C.   WEST. 


The  story  of  a  Cliurcli  l)uil(Iing  is  not  only  of  interest  to  the 
generation  wliose  w(jrk  it  is,  l)ut  conies  to  have  a  deeper  and 
more  evident  significance  to  those  who  follow  and  become  its 
inheritors.  It  also  l)ecomes  to  them  an  expression  of  the  char- 
acter and  a  memorial  of  the  Iniilders  themselves. 

As  it  is  desirable  that  these  stories  should  be  told  as  truth- 
fully as  possible,  and  as  far  as  may  be  in  the  spirit  of  the  times 
to  which  they  belong,  I  have  made  a  simple  record  of  a  few 
facts  connected  with  the  building  of  the  Church  in  which  we 
now  worship.  I  am  moved  to  do  this  in  compliance  with  a  re- 
quest, and  because  I  believe  I  am  the  only  surviving  meml)er 
of  the  ])iiilding  committee,  excejit  Gordan  McKay. 

From  the  first  I  gave  myself  most  heartily  to  work  for  it, 
and  my  personal  connection  with  it  must  be  my  excuse  for 
speaking  in  the  first  person. 

A  generation  has  passed  since  that  time,  l)ut  there  are  many 
who  will  recall  that  memorable  Sunday  morning  in  January, 
thirty -eight  years  ago,  when  from  the  fire-blackened  and  de- 
faced old  Church  we  went  to  Burbank  hall  for  our  accustomed 
service. 

Doctor  Todd  was  with  us,  and  showed  himself  ecpial  to  the 
occasion,  as  he  afterwards  proved  a  leader  able  to  hold  his  fiock 
together  though  left  shelterless. 

A  lady  of  this  (lliui-ch  (then  twevle  years  of  age)  of  excel- 
lent memory,  has  sent  me  the  text  from  which  he  i)reached  tliat 


Sunday  morning, — an  eloquent  tax, — followed  by  an  eloquent 
sermon:  "  Isaiah  Oi :  11.  Our  holy  and  our  beautiful  house 
where  our  Fathers  praised  thee,  is  burned  up  with  fire,  and  all 
our  pleasant  things  are  laid  waste." 

There  had  been  for  some  time  a  feeling  that  tlie  old  structure 
must  soon  give  place  to  a  new  and  more  modern  one,  but  the 
tire  brought  the  question  l)efore  the  people  for  immediate  de- 
cision. On  Monday  morning,  the  next  day  after  the  hre,  there 
was  a  gathering  of  a  few  prominent  men  and  a  Parish  meeting- 
was  called  to  consider  the  situation.  At  this  meeting  there  was 
a  free  and  full  discussion.  A  few  still  clung  to  the  old  church 
and  advocated  its  reconstruction.  l)ut  in  a  shorter  time  than 
could  be  expected  they  came  to  l)e  of  one  mind,  and  the  result 
was  an  almost  unanimous  vote  to  l>uild  a  new  church.  Com- 
mittees were  chosen  for  looking  up  plans,  collecting  money,  &c., 
and  the  work  was  at  once  taken  up,  not  only  with  cheerfulness 
but  with  genuine  enthusiasm. 

The  fact  was  accepted  that  the  burden  of  the  tax  and  the 
w^^rk  belonged  to  the  Parish.  They  did  not  shrink  from  it  or 
ask  help  of  others,  nor  were  they  willing  to  incur  a  del)t  for 
their  children  to  struggle  with,  after  they  had  gone. 

One  of  the  decided  votes  of  this  Parish  meeting  w^as  that 
the  funds  for  building  should  be  obtained  by  voluntary  sub- 
scription, and  no  debt  should  be  incurred.  The  men  who  took 
the  lead  in  this  matter  have  almost  all  passed  from  among  the 
living,  l)ut  their  names  deserve  to  l)e  recorded  as  worthy  of  all 
imitation.  Another  vote  at  this  meeting  was  that  the  Church 
should  l)e  l)uilt  of  stone,  and  have  a  seating  ca])acity  for  eight 
hundred  (S0(>)  exclusive  of  the  galleries. 

The  building  committee  consisted  of  Thomas  F.  Plunkett, 
Julius  Pockwell,  E.  H.  Kellogg,  Levi  Groodrich,  Gordon  Mc- 
Kay, and  myself.  The  first  three  gentlemen  were  out  of  town, 
and  Mr.  Cloodrich  became  a  competing  contractor,  so  that  most 
of  the  preliminary  work  devolved  upon  Mr.  McKay  and  my- 
self. While  the  work  of  looking  up  and  considering  plans  was 
going  on,  the  money  was  to  be  obtained. 

This  part  of  the  work  I  remember  very  distinctly,  being  on 
the  finance  committee,  of  which  Geo.  W.  Campbell  was  chair- 


56 

man.  There  was  also  added  to  my  duties  the  collecting  and 
paying  the  money. 

In  raising  the  funds  we  adopted  what  we  called  dooming, 
that  is,  a  kind  of  voluntary  assessment  based  in  part  upon  a 
man's  supposed  resources,  and  in  part  upon  his  interest  in  the 
o1)ject  and  his  sense  of  duty.  These  assessments  were  uni- 
formly and  cheerfully  accepted.  The  result  was  that  with  what 
was  in  the  treasury  from  insurance  and  other  sources,  we  had 
al)Out  twenty  thousand  (120,000)  dollars  at  our  command. 

After  much  looking,  a  church  in  New  London,  Conn.,  was 
selected  as  our  model,  although,  if  carried  out  in  detail,  would 
far  exceed  our  means.  The  architect  of  this  church  was  Mr. 
Eidleitz,  a  well  known  artist  of  New  York.  He  was  consulted 
and  made  a  new  design  in  which  he  omitted  one  tower  and 
spire,  thus  lessening  the  cost  very  materially.  In  the  interior 
we  were  unwilling  to  make  any  change.  The  revised  plan  was 
now  submitted  to  the  full  committee,  who  had  returned,  and 
was  approved  l)y  them  and  the  Parish.  But  now  a  new  diffi- 
culty arose.  The  estimates  of  the  builders  was  twenty-two 
hundred  and  fifty  ($2,250)  dollars  in  excess  of  our  funds,  what 
was  to  be  done  %  We  had  cut  down  the  external  expenses  of 
the  building  as  far  as  we  could,  the  interior  we  could  not  spoil 
l)y  making  any  changes.  It  was  hard  to  go  again  to  those  who 
had  already  given  so  liberally,  but  there  was  nothing  else  to  do, 
for  we  could  not  have  a  debt. 

The  way  in  which  these  men  responded  to  my  call  the  next 
morning  for  the  twenty-two  hundred  aud  fifty  dollars,  I  can 
never  forget.  Deacon  Allen,  as  soon  as  the  case  was  presented 
to  him,  with  his  usual  prompt  and  decided  manner,  replied, 
"  I  will  do  it,  Yes  sir,  I  will  do  it ;  and  I  will  also  put  my  name 
upon  a  guarantee  paper  to  make  up  any  reasonable  deficiency." 
Others  responded  in  like  manner,  so  that  within  less  than 
twenty -four  hours  I  had  the  twenty-two  hundred  and  fifty  dol- 
lars. That  evening  I  called  the  committee  together  and  we 
closed  the  contract  with  Levi  Goodrich  and  John  C.  Iloadly. 

Some  of  these  men  are  so  identified  with  the  building 
of  this  Church,  that  a  record  of  it  would  be  incomplete  with- 
out their  names.     P.  Allen  &  Son,  Jason  Clapp  &  Son,  Thomas 


57- 

F.  Pliinkett,  Julius  Rockwell,  E.  H.  Kellogg,  E.  R.  Colt  & 
Sons,  Geo.  W.  Campbell,  J.  &  E.  Peck,  L.  Pomeroy's  Sons,  J. 
V.  Parker  &  Pro.,  Wni.  Ji  Cooley,  Henry  Colt,  George  and 
David  CVinipl>ell,  Gordan  McKay,  and  many  <,)tliers. 

The  parish  can  see  to-day  what  it  has  ol)tained  at  a  cost  of 
less  thau  twenty-five  thousand  dollars,  exclusive  of  furniture. 
This  includes  the  organ,  Mdiich  was  put  in  when  the  Church 
was  built,  and  since  removed  to  give  place  to  the  fine  one,  now 
in  use,  presented  by  Geo.  W.  Campl)ell  and  his  sister,  Mrs. 
Betsey  Clapp. 

The  stone  used  in  the  main  building  was  from  the  Pittsfield 
(piarries,  wliile  the  front  corner  stone,  windows  and  door  jams, 
w^as  from  the  Great  Parrington  quarries. 

The  Church  was  finished  and  dedicated  July,  1853,  it  being 
one  of  tlie  model  churches  of  the  present  day  in  this  country. 


CHARITIES  AND  CHARITABLE  ORGANIZATIONS. 


BY   GEORGE  N.   BUTTON. 


The  earliest  organized  method  of  giving  of  which  mention 
is  made  m  connection  with  this  church,  was  the  formation  in 
1798  of  the  "Berkshire  and  Cohnnbia  Missionary  Society,"  for 
the  purpose  of  sending  the  gospel  to  new  and  destitute  settle- 
ments. 

From  a  history  of  Berkshire,  edited  by  Dr.  Field,  and  pub- 
lished in  1829,  we  learn  that  up  to  that  period,  this  church  had 
contributed  to  said  society  the  sum  of  $443.2A,"in  addition  to  a 
legacy  of  $10(>,  given  by  Woodbridge  Little,  Es(p,  and  one  of 
$300  from  Ashbel  Strong. 

The  amount  contributed  by  this  church  from  1829  to  1850, 
was  $2,880.78.  The  operations  of  this  Society  were  confined 
principally  to  destitute  places  in  the  State  of  New  York. 

The  church  has  always  been  generous  in  its  annual  donations 
to  the  American  Bible  Society.  It  is  impossible  to  ascertain 
what  proportion  of  the  annual  donations  of  Pittsfield  to  this 
Society  came  from  members  of  this  church  and  parish,  but 
probably  more  than  one-half.  In  1828  Pittsfield  contrilnited  to 
this  cause  $143.18  ;  in  1829,  $205.66.  The  annual  contribu- 
tions in  later  years  has  often  reached  as  high  as  $500. 

From  the  date  of  its  formation  in  1818,  up  to  1829,  the 
county  "Education  Society,"  for  aiding  indigent  pious  young 
men  in  their  education  prepai'atory  to  the  ministry,  received 
from  Pittsfield  the  sum  of  $585.40.  About  this  period — 1825 
— renewed  intei-est  was  manifested  in  foreign  missions.  The 
"  Berkshire  Missionary  Society"  was  formed,  and  the  contril)u- 
tions  of  this  church,  through  that  organization,  aggregated  be- 
tween eleven  and  twelve  hundred  dcjllars  the  first  five  years. 


59 

We  learn  from  tlie  Cliureli  Eecords,  ISTov.  24,  1819,  that  the 
"American  Educational  Seciety"  requested  an  annual  contribu- 
tion of  $100.  A  committee  was  appointed  to  take  the  matter 
under  advisement,  and  reported  at  a  subsequent  meeting  that 
they  approved  of  the  proposition,  but  did  not  see  how  it  could 
be  done  when  they  considered  the  small  number  of  male  mem- 
bers l)elonging  to  the  church,  nearly  a  fourth  part  of  them  in 
straightened  circumstances,  and  already  burdened  by  the  calls 
which  are  upon  the  church  for  aiding  in  the  various  efforts  that 
are  making  for  evangelizing  the  world.  The  committee  did, 
however,  recommend  that  a  collection  be  taken  in  the  months 
of  March  and  November,  and  thought  that  in  this  way  the  sum 
of  $6()  might  be  raised.  The  committee  closed  their  report  in 
the  following  words :  "  And  now,  brethren,  we  commend  you 
to  God  and  the  word  of  His  grace  ;  l)eseeching  Him  to  show 
us  all  that  we  ought  to  suppcn-t  and  aid  the  weak,  and  to  teach 
us  to  remember  the  words  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  how  He  said,  '  it 
is  more  blessed  to  give  than  receive.'  " 

From  the  interest  manifested  in  these  various  benevolent  or- 
ganizations which  were  springing  up  during  the  first  quarter  of 
the  present  century,  it  is  evident  that  this  church  was  not  un- 
mindful of  its  mission. 

The  church  records  contain  frequent  allusions  showing  its 
tender  watch  and  care  over  its  indigent  pooi.  At  one  time 
nearly  one-fourth  of  the  male  members  were  in  straiglitened 
circumstances.  A  vote  was  passed  Nov.  20,  1S19,  authorizing 
tlie  Deacons  to  draw  on  the  treasurer  for  the  relief  and  comfort 
of  the  indigent  members  of  the  church.  There  are  no  means 
of  ascertaining  the  amounts  yearly  contriltuted  for  this  purpose, 
l)ut  during  the  past  thirty  or  forty  years  they  have  averaged 
about  $300.  In  this  connection  it  may  be  of  interest  to  know 
the  names  of  those  who  have  held  the  office  of  treasurer  since 
1818.  The  following  is  a  correct  list :  John  C.  "Williams, 
Henry  C.  Brown,  Phinehas  Allen,  Samuel  Allen,  Charles  D. 
Mills,  Zeno  Russell,  Charles  Atwater  and  F.  W.  Button. 

The  dissensions  occasioned  by  the  differences  in  the  political 
views  of  its  members,  during  the  latter  years  of  the  last  and 
the  earlier  years    of  the  present  century,  undoubtedly  greatly 


60 

retarded  christian  efforts,  and  cansed  a  serious  falling  off  in  the 
charities  of  this,  as  well  as  other  chnrches.  Divisive  measnres 
crejjt  into  the  clinrch,  which  so  agitated  and  divided  its  mera- 
l)ers,  that  all  worthy  objects  were  apparently  lost  sight  of  for  a 
time.  Harmony  finally  prevailed  again,  and  the  work  of  the 
Redeemer's  Kingdom  was  carried  on  witli  renewed  zeal. 

It  was  not  until  after  the  organization  of  the  great  Mission- 
ary societies  that  the  chnrch  entered  upon  systematic  giving, 
although  calls  for  various  charitable  efforts  were  not  unknown 
before  that  period. 

The  American  Board  and  the  American  Home  Missionary 
Society  have  in  about  ecpial  proportions  been  the  recipients  of 
our  largest  benefactions.  It  will  be  somewhat  surprising  to 
many  to  learn  that  it  was  not  until  al)Out  1850  that  regular  con- 
tril)utions  were  made  to  the  last  named  society.  From  the  date 
of  its  organization,  however,  individual  members  contributed 
generously,  about  $2,000  having  been  thus  given  prior  to  1850. 
During  this  period  frecjuent  contributions  were  made  to  the 
Berkshire  and  Columbia  Missionary  Society,  of  which  mention 
lias  been  made,  aiding  in  this  way  the  cause  of  Home  Missions. 
During  the  period  between  1850  and  1874,  our  total  contribu- 
tions to  the  American  Home  Missionary  Society  amounted  to 
$5,123,  and  during  the  same  time  a  much  larger  sum  was  con- 
tributed to  the  American  Board. 

In  addition  to  our  "  Seven  Societies,"  this  church  contributed 
annually  to  the  American  Seamen's  Friend  Society,  the  Ameri- 
can Tract  Society,  the  Bible  Soctety,  the  McCall  Mission,  and 
our  local  institutions,  the  House  of  Mercy  and  the  Union  for 
Home  Work,  besides  responding  generously  to  many  miscella- 
neous calls.  Special  disasters,  like  the  Chicago  and  Boston 
fires,  yellow^  fever  epidemics,  &c.,  have  always  appealed  to  the 
deepest  and  most  generous  sympathies  of  the  church. 

Dr.  Todd  says  in  his  historical  sermon,  preached  February, 
1873,  that  the  total  charities  during  his  pastorate  of  over  tliirty 
years,  w^ere  not  less  than  $200,000.  From  1874  to  the  present 
time,  a  period  of  fifteen  years,  the  total  charities  have  been 
$89,029.17,  an  average  of  about  $0,300  a  year. 


61 

The  present  agencies  for  carrying  forward  the  benevolence  of 
tlie  church  are  numerons.  Among  the  oldest  and  most  effect- 
ive, are  the  Ladies'  "  Free-will  Society"  and  the  Ladies'  "  Be- 
nevolent Society,"  both  of  which  were  organized  during  the 
earlier  years  of  Dr.  Humphrey's  pastorate.  It  is  an  interesting 
fact,  and  one  worth  relating,  that  the  Free-will  Society  was  the 
outcome  of  a  ladies'  prayer-meeting,  organized  in  1815,  under 
the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Wm.  Allen,  by  Mrs.  Lemuel  Pomeroy, 
Mrs.  Thomas  Strong,  Mrs.  Timothy  Cliilds,  Mrs.  Thomas  Gold, 
Mrs.  Simeon  Learned,  Miss  Harriet  Danforth  and  Mrs.  C.  T. 
Femi.  During  the  following  four  or  five  years,  the  number 
had  largely  increased,  and  the  proposition  was  made — probably 
the  outgrowth  of  much  faithful  prayer  <m  the  part  of  these 
saintly  women — that  something  should  be  done  for  the  benefit 
of  others.  This  resulted  in  the  organization  of  the  Free-will 
Society,  August  — ,  1S19.  This  Society  held  its  meetings  for 
the  first  three  months  in  the  old  lecture-room,  which  stood  on 
the  present  site  of  the  South  Church,  and  afterwards  at  the 
houses  of  its  memljcrs.  The  first  work  done  was  for  students 
in  Williams  College,  who  were  intending  to  enter  the  n:iinistry. 
It  is  an  interesting  reminiscence,  that  one  of  the  oldest  living 
members  of  this  church  was  at  that  time  a  student  at  "Williams, 
and  remembers  distinctly  the  arrival  of  the  first  donation. 

From  a  report  made  at  the  annual  meeting  of  the  church  in 
1873,  we  learn  that  the  total  amount  contributed  by  the  Free- 
will Society,  from  the  date  of  its  organization  in  1820  to  18T3, 
was  $8,664.  The  actual  amount  was  probably  much  larger,  as 
no  record  covering  several  years  of  its  earlier  history  can  be 
found.  The  amount  contril)uted  from  18Y3  to  1888  inclusive 
— a  period  of  fifteen  years — was  $9,079.95,  making  the  grand 
total  as  shown  by  the  records  of  the  Society,  $17,943.95. 

The  Ladies'  Benevolent  Society  has  also  worked  largely  in 
the  cause  of  Home  missions,  and  has  not  fallen  behind  its  sister 
organization,  in  helping  to  bear  the  burden  of  those  who  labor 
so  faithfully  in  our  frontier  settlements.  From  an  old  record- 
book  of  this  Society,  beginning  with  the  date  of  its  organization 
in  1818,  and  extending  through  a  period  of  over  thirty  years, 
we  learn  that  the  total  donations  during  that  time  amounted  to 


62 

$3,596.  For  several  years  siil)se<|uent  to  1850,  no  record  was 
kept,  but  the  books  show,  notwithstaudiiii:;  tliese  omissions,  that 
from  1850  np  to  the  present  time,  $6,416.06  has  been  contrib- 
uted, which,  together  with  the  amount  previously  stated,  show 
a  total  of  $10,012.06. 

Other  societies  within  the  church,  of  more  recent  date,  are 
the  "  Hache-no-so  Society,"  "  Coral  "Workers,"  "  Memorial  So- 
ciety," and  the  "  Young  Men's  Working  League,"  all  occupying 
fields  of  usefulness  in  their  several  sjoheres  of  action. 

What  more  can  he  said?  That  this  Church  of  Christ  has  a 
"  name  to  live"  by  reason  of  its  efforts  toward  the  building  up 
of  the  lledeemer's  Kingdom  in  the  world,  is  apparent.  Its 
light,  we  trust,  has  not  grown  dim,  nor  the  luster  of  its  ancient 
history  dejiarted  ;  the  golden  candlestick  has  not  l)een  removed 
out  of  its  place.  May  the  Lord  of  all  grace  grant  that  we  may 
profit  by  the  faithfulness  of  our  fathers,  and  be  warned  by 
their  errors. 


THE  SUNDAY  SCHOOL. 


BY  W.  G.   HARDING. 


Although  all  earlv  records  are  lost,  there  is  little  doul)t  as  to 
the  date  of  the  organization  of  the  Sunday  School  of  tlie  First 
Church  in  Pittsfield.  Previous  to  1 880  it  was  not  controlled 
directly  by  the  churcli,but  by  a  separate  organization  known  as 
"  The  rittsfield  Sabbatli  School  Association."  Most  of  the  rec- 
ords of  this  organization  are  lost.  The  Pittsfield  Sun  of  N^o- 
veniber  15,  1820,  however,  seems  to  fix  the  date,  as  it  contains 
an  article  evidently  written  by  the  Pastor,  Rev.  Henian  Hum- 
phrey, which  throws  back  the  organization  four  years,  to  1816, 
the  year  before  Mr.  Humphrey's  settlement.  The  first  Super- 
intendent was  Dr.  James  Warren.  After  alludino;  to  this  new 
institution,  which  was  being  introduced  throughout  the  land, 
the  Sun  says,  "  This  is  the  fourth  season  of  the  Sabbath  School 
in  this  town,  and  in  view  of  the  exertions  which  have  been 
made  and  the  great  success  which  has  attended  them,  all  who 
wish  well  to  the  rising  generation,  who  seek  the  welfare  of 
society,  or  who  pray  for  the  prosperity  of  Zion,  liave  abundant 
cause  to  thank  God  and  take  courage.  It  is  a  pleasant  part  of 
our  duty  to  give  a  short  abstract  of  the  doings  of  the  school. 
The  whole  number  of  verses  of  the  Bible  committed  to  mem- 
ory is  33,259,  verses  of  hymns  8,(328,  and  of  answers  in  cate- 
chism 12,720,  making  together  56,7(><»,  which,  supposing  the 
number  of  scholars  to  be  17<>,  gives  an  average  to  each  of  329. 
The  greatest  number  conmiitted  l\y  any  one  of  the  pupils  is 
6,317 ;  next  greatest,  2,683. 

Our  honored  towosman.  Deacon  James  H.  Duidiam,  was 
Superintendent  of  the  school  for  fourteen  years,  from  1836  to 


64 

1850,  the  longest  term  of  service  of  any  oue  Sujierintendent, 
and  to  him  I  am  indebted  for  most  of  the  reminiscences  here 
presented.  James  Dunham  came  here  in  1819,  aged  15  years, 
and  immediately  ]\)ined  the  school.  As  reported  in  the  article 
in  the  Sun,  he  says  the  instruction  consisted  chieiiy  in  memo, 
rizing  the  Scriptures.  A  prize  was  offered  to  the  pupil  who 
could  recite  the  most  Scripture,  and  a  ticket  was  given  each 
Sunday  to  the  scholar  who  was  the  victor.  James  went  into 
the  class  taught  by  Miss  Betsey  Campl)ell,  and  astonished  the 
rest  of  the  boys  by  reeling  off  forty-seven  verses  the  first  Sun- 
day. They  said  it  was  not  fair,  as  he  was  older  than  the  rest, 
and  so  he  was  turned  over  to  Miss  Olive  Pomeroy ;  but  he  was 
too  much  for  Miss  Pomeroy 's  boys,  and  was  sent  into  Miss 
Mary  Cliilds'  class,  which  had  two  of  the  minister's  boys  in  it, 
who  were  supposed  to  be  a  match  for  him.  These  were  Edward 
and  James  Humphrey  ;  but,  alas,  the  first  Sunday  James  Dun- 
ham captured  the  prize,  u})on  which  Edward  burst  out  crying, 
and  Mary  Childs,  who  was  young  and  giddy  and  could  not  let 
justice  master  her  sympathy,  appealed  to  James  to  give  up  the 
ticket  to  Edward.  He  did  it,  but  left  the  school  and  never  en- 
tered its  doors  again  till  1828,  nine  years  later,  when  Edward 
A.  N^ewton  was  Superintendent.  In  the  meantime,  Calvin 
Martin  succeeded  Dr.  Warren.  For  how  long  a  time  is  not 
known,  Ijut  there  is  a  record  of  Mr.  NcM^ton's  taking  the  super- 
intendency  in  1828.  He  was  a  man  of  very  independent  spirit 
and  the  new  minister,  Mr.  Tappan,  th(jught  the  Sunday  School 
was  too  indej)endent  of  the  church,  and  on  wishing  to  reform 
matters  in  this  respect,  came  in  conflict  with  the  Superinten- 
dent. Mr.  Newton  insisted  on  the  independence  of  the  Sunday 
School,  and  resented  what  he  thought  was  an  interference  upon 
the  part  of  the  minister.  The  matter  was  referred  to  a  vote  of 
the  teachers,  who  sustained  Mr.  Tappan.  This  offended  Mr. 
Newton,  who  resigned  the  superintendency,  and  commenced 
active  measures  for  the  formation  of  St.  Stei^hen's  Church. 

The  first  Sunday  School  occupied  the  upper  room  in  the 
Town  hall,  which  stood  on  the  present  site  of  St.  Stephen's 
Church,  and  is  now  the  house  of  Mr.  Wni.  G.  Harding  on  East 
Street,  having  been  moved  there  in  1832,  when  St.  Stei)hen's 


65 

Cluirch  was  built.  When  the  Federal  lecture  room  was  bnilt 
on  South  Sti'eet,  the  School  held  its  sessions  there.  In  May, 
1823,  following  the  revival  of  Nettleton,  a  bible-class  of  over 
one  hundred  members  was  established.  The  roll  of  these  mem- 
bers is  preserved,  and  includes  the  most  prominent  people  of 
the  town.  The  fourth  Superintendent  was  Mr.  John  Dilling- 
ham, who  was  said  to  be  a  very  wide-awake  man.  In  1830, 
finding  that  the  usual  fourth  of  July  celebration  was  not  to  be 
held  in  the  church,  he  determined  to  have  a  Sunday  School 
celebration  there.  This  aroused  the  patriot  democracy,  who, 
under  the  leadership  of  one  Yale  Clark,  declared  that  it  would 
be  a  disgraceful  shame  to  desecrate  the  sacred  day  in  this  man- 
ner, and  demanded  the  church  for  an  opposition  celebration. 
Great  excitement  ensued,  and  the  matter  was  finally  compro- 
mised by  letting  the  Sunday  School  have  the  church  until  12 
o'clock,  noon.  The  Baptists  and  Methodists  united  in  this  cel- 
ebration. A  procession  of  the  School  was  formed  in  front  of 
the  lecture-room  on  South  Street,  marched  to  the  Baptist  and 
Methodist  churches,  where  their  schools  swelled  tlie  jDrocession, 
and  it  entered  the  church  seven  hundred  strong.  The  chief 
feature  of  the  exercises,  was  the  singing  of  the  infant  class  un- 
der the  lead  of  their  teacher,  Miss  ISTancy  Ingersoll.  They  were 
seated  on  a  raised  platform  built  for  the  occasion.  So  impres- 
sive was  their  performance,  with  right  hands  uplifted,  of  the 
anthem,  "  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,"  that  strong  men  wept, 
and  Yale  Clark  himself,  who  had  pressed  in  by  the  door,  could 
not  control  his  tears.  After  the  church  exercises  the  Sunday 
School  teachers  and  scholars  had  a  pic-nic  dinner  in  the  park, 
and  Yale  Clark's  patriots  for  an  hour  fired  their  cannon  in  front 
of  the  Berkshire  Hotel. 

Mr.  Dillingham  was  followed  by  Mr.  Thomas  Mosely,  who 
is  described  as  a  fine  example  of  a  christian  gentleman,  with  a 
great  deal  of  personal  magnetism.  He  was  succeeded  by  Major 
Henry  C.  Brown,  the  high  Sheriff,  a  very  dignified  and  modest 
man.  He  is  described  as  wearing  two  pairs  of  spectacles,  and 
the  glance  of  his  eye  was  a  terror  to  the  boys.  He  rarely  spoke 
to  a  boy,  but  his  eye  was  suifieient  to  subdue  the  most  unruly. 


G6 

We  have  now  come  down  to  1836,  when  Deacon  James  II. 
Dunham  took  cliarge  of  the  school,  and  continued  Superinten- 
dent for  fourteen  years  till  1850",  when  he  assumed  the  same 
office  in  the  Sunday  School  of  the  new  South  Street  Church, 
where  he  served  several  years.  He  is  with  us  to-day,  and  needs 
no  words  of  mine  to  describe  his  eminent  Christian  life  and 
character.  He  was  followed  in  1851  by  one  whom  many  of  us 
remember  with  deep  affection, — Deacon  Henry  G.  Davis. 
After  three  years  service  he  was  succeeded  by  Gains  C.  Bur- 
nap,  who  had  charge  of  the  school  from  1853  to  1855,  when 
Deacon  Davis  again  was  chosen  Superintendent,  and  held  the 
position  for  two  years,  till  185T.  Rev.  Samuel  Allen  filled  the 
office  for  one  year,  and  was  succeeded  by  Robert  W.  Adam,  who 
was  Superintendent  for  two  years,  till  1860,  when  Deacon 
Henry  Chickering  held  the  office  for  five  years,  till  1865.  He 
was  a  faithful  and  earnest  Superintendent,  as  many  of  us  well 
remember.  He  was  succeeded  by  Deacon  George  IST.  Dutton, 
who  continued  in  charge  for  three  years  till  1868,  wdien  Moses 
H.  "Wood  held  the  office  for  two  years,  till  1870.  Jabez  L. 
Peck  was  Superintendent  for  three  years,  till  1873,  when  Mr. 
Wood  again  took  the  office  for  three  years,  and  was  succeeded 
by  W.  G.  Harding,  who  served  three  years,  and  was  succeeded 
in  1879  by  Henry  W.  D wight  for  one  year.  George  N.  Dut- 
ton then  served  a  second  term  of  one  year,  and  was  followed 
by  Jabez  L.  Peck  for  another  term  of  two  years.  He  was 
succeeded  in  1883  by  Frederick  T.  West,  who  continued  in 
service  for  three  years,  when  Henry  A.  Brewster,  the  assistant 
Superintendent,  acted  for  one  year  as  Superintendent. 

This  brings  us  down  to  our  present  Superintendent,  Mr. 
Edward  T.  Slocum,  who,  commencing  January  1st,  1887,  is 
now  serving  his  third  year.  Under  his  management  the  school 
has  continually  grown  in  numbers,  and  is  now  probably  larger 
than  ever  before.  There  has  just  l)een  introduced  a  system  of 
gradation  into  Primary,  Intermediate  and  Senior  dei)artments, 
which  bids  fair  to  be  a  very  successful  innovation.  With  this 
year  the  new  and  excellent  catechism  under  the  joint  authorship 
of  Mrs.  Anna  Todd  Paddock  and  Mrs.  Harriet  Palmer  Slocum, 
has  been  introduced.     This  reminds  us  of  the  first  year  of  the 


67 

school  of  which  we  have  any  record,  when  12,720  answers  in  the 
catechism  were  recited,  and  the  teachers  of  to-day  will  have  to 
look  well  to  their  laurels  if  their  pupils  surpass  this.  We  are 
inclined  to  donbt  if  the  year  1889  will  equal  1820  as  a  cate- 
chism year. 

Time  will  not  allow  the  mention  of  a  multitude  of  faithful 
teachers,  secretaries  and  hljrarians  who  have  served  this  school, 
but  there  are  three  librarians  whose  services  were  so  long  and 
so  faithfully  rendered,  that  a  sj)ecial  vote  of  thanks  were  ren- 
dered them  upon  their  retirement  in  1877.  Mr.  Gilbert  West, 
Mr.  John  11.  Warriner,  and  Mr.  William  E.  Plunkett.  Among 
the  first  teachers  of  the  school  we  find  Mrs.  Susanna  Crofoot 
and  Miss  Brattle,  afterwards  Mrs.  Burbank,  of  Hartford.  Mrs. 
Crofoot  united  with  the  church  in  1792,  was  a  professing  chris- 
tian seventy-one  years,  took  a  deep  interest  in  the  Sunday 
School,  and  used  to  hold  at  her  home  a  Saturday  afternoon  class 
for  the  ignorant  and  poor.  Miss  Brattle,  in  her  devotion  to  her 
class,  used  often  to  walk  to  Sunday  School,  two  and  a  half  miles 
from  her  home  in  the  east  ])art. 


PAPER  BY  CHARLES  E.  WEST,  LL.  D, 

OF  BROOKLYN,   N.  Y. 


With  this  church  is  associated  my  earliest  knowledge  of  re- 
ligious worship.  It  was  here  I  became  familiar  with  the  names 
of  Allen,  Humphrey,  Bailey,  Tappan,  Youmans,  Brinsmade, 
Todd,  Bartlett,  and  Jenkins. 

All  these  clergymen  I  have  heard  preach  except  the  elder 
Allen,  the  first  pastor,  who  died  February  11,  181<>.  He  was 
one  of  the  master  spirits  of  tlie  American  Revolution.  He 
was  a  fearless  and  uncompromising  rebel  against  British  tyr- 
anny. He  hated  England,  her  aristocracy,  her  church  polity, 
and  her  spirit  of  domination, — her  brag  and  bluster  about  the 
divine  right  of  kings.  He  took  an  active  part  in  the  work. 
He  thundered  from  his  pulpit.  His  church  became  the  arena 
for  the  discussion  of  the  great  principles  of  constitutional  lib- 
erty. He  not  only  preached  rebellion,  he  took  up  arms  and 
went  to  the  war.  He  was  called  the  "  fighting  parson."  Twice 
he  went  out  as  a  volunteer  chaplain,  first  at  White  Plains,  and 
afterward  at  Ticonderoga.  For  his  brave  patriotic  conduct  at 
the  battle  of  Bennington,  he  won  the  admiration  of  his  con- 
temporaries. As  trophies  he  took  home  two  large  scpiare  crys- 
tal bottles  of  wine,  which  he  took  from  the  saddle  of  a  Hessian 
surgeon's  horse.  He  was  absent  but  three  days,  returning  on 
Saturday  and  preaching  to  liis  people  on  Tuesday. 

There  was  another  side  to  his  character.  He  was  gentle  and 
sympatlietic.  He  coidd  weep  with  those  who  wept,  and  re- 
joice with  those  who  rejoiced.  He  was  eminently  social.  On 
funeral  occasions  no  one  surpassed  liim  in  tenderness  of  aj^peal 
and  outpouring  sympathy  for  the  atllicted.  As  striking  exam- 
ples, I  would  cite  his  published  sermons  on  the  death  of  his 
daughter,  Elizabeth  White,  in  1798,  and  of  his  son,  Thomas 
Allen,  Jr.,  in  18(»6. 


69 

Parson  Allen's  last  days  were  clouded  and  unhappy.  A 
cruel  division  of  the  parish  resulted  in  the  organization  of  an- 
other church,  which  impoverished  the  people  ;  but  after  a  few 
years  of  strife  they  were  reunited,  and  Dr.  Ileman  Humphrey 
was  called  to  be  their  pastor.  By  his  wisdom  their  animosities 
were  allayed,  and  they  became  one  in  sympathy  and  action. 
The  memory  of  Dr.  Humphrey  is  precious. 

There  were  many  notable  characters  in  the  church  and  con- 
gregation. I  have  not  time  to  name  them.  But  I  cannot  pass 
a  most  remarkable  man,  who  made  a  lasting  impression  upon 
my  youthful  imagination, — if  not  upon  my  back.  He  carried  a 
birch  switch,  and  kept  order  among  the  boys  in  the  gallery. 
He  had  a  sly  way  of  gliding  from  place  to  place,  and,  when 
least  expected  by  those  wlio  were  not  listening  to  the  voice  of 
the  preacher,  that  switch  of  the  Deacon's  would  come  close 
upon  the  shoulders  of  the  offending  boy  with  a  whack  that  was 
not  very  musical  to  mischief-makers.  There  was  not  a  boy  in 
Pittsfield  that  did  not  know  and  fear  Deacon  Charles  Goodrich. 

One  of  the  most  venerated  members  of  the  congregation  was 
Hon.  Joshua  Danforth,  who  died  January  30,  1837,  in  the 
seventy-eighth  year  of  his  age.  He  rendered  distinguished 
service  in  the  Revolutionary  war.  His  first  active  service  was 
at  Roxbury,  Mass.,  in  June,  1775.  In  March  of  the  next  year 
he  went  with  the  army  under  Washington  into  Boston,  after 
the  British  had  left  that  town.  It  was  there,  in  July,  he  heard 
the  Declaration  of  Independence  read  to  the  army  for  the  first 
time.  He  was  at  the  surrender  of  Burgoyne  in  1777.  He 
went  with  his  brigade  to  New  Jersey  and  Yalley  Forge,  some 
twenty  miles  from  Philadelphia,  and  spent  the  winter  there. 
He  was  in  the  battle  of  Monmouth  in  1778,  and  in  1780  spent 
most  of  the  year  at  "West  Point.  The  next  year  he  had  command 
of  a  post  near  Tappan's  Bay,  and  was  engaged  in  several  skir- 
mishes with  the  enemy.  After  the  disbanding  of  the  army  in 
1783,  he  remained  in  the  service  as  paymaster,  and  was  dis- 
charged the  following  year,  taking  up  his  residence  in  Pittsfield. 
In  1787  he  was  aid-de-camp  to  Major  General  Patterson,  and 
a  Justice  of  the  Peace,  receiving  his  commission  from  John 
Hancock, 


70 

Col.  Danforth  was  tlie  first  Postmaster  of  Pittsfield,  ap- 
pointed in  1704.  He  lield  successively  the  offices  of  Town 
Clerk,  Treasurer,  Selectman,  and  Assessor.  In  1787  lie  was 
appointed  Associate  Justice  of  tlie  I>erksliire  County  Court  of 
Sessions,  and  in  1808  Chief  Justice  of  the  Court.  He  was  also 
appointed  by  Mr.  Madison  United  States  Marshal,  and  prin- 
cipal Assessor  and  Collector  of  the  revenue  for  this  18th  dis- 
trict in  Massachusetts.  In  1827-8  he  was  a  member  of  the 
Governor's  Council. 

Of  the  Pittsfield  pastors,  I  was  best  acquainted  with  Drs. 
Tappan  and  Todd.  During  my  residence  in  New  York  I  saw 
much  of  Dr.  Tappan.  He  was  one  of  the  most  profound 
thinkers  and  writers  of  his  generation.  At  one  time  the  press 
teemed  with  publications  from  his  pen.  Among  these  are  a 
"  Review  of  Edwards,"  "  Inquiry  into  the  Freedom  of  the 
Will,"  "  The  Doctrine  of  the  Will  applied  to  Moral  Agency 
and  Responsibility,"  (1841)  ''Elements  of  Logic,"  (1844),  and 
a  "Treatise  on  University  Education,"  (1857). 

He  virtually  planned  the  course  of  study  in  the  University 
of  Michigan,  and  was  practically  its  first  Chancellor.  I  think 
it  the  most  perfect  of  all  the  State  systems  of  public  instruc- 
tion. The  Common  Schools,  the  Academies,  and  the  University, 
are  under  one  Board  of  Regents,  which  is  not  true  of  one  of 
the  New  England  systems  of  Education.  He  entered  upon 
his  duties  as  Chancellor  in  1850,  and  resigned  in  1863,  and  took 
up  his  residence  in  Europe  for  the  remainder  of  his  life. 

Dr.  Tappan  was  born  in  Rhinebeck-on-the-Hudson,  April 
23,  1805,  graduated  from  Union  College  in  1825,  pursued  his 
theological  studies  at  Auburn,  graduating  at  the  end  of  two 
years,  and  in  1827  became  assistant  to  Rev.  Dr.  Van  Vechten 
of  Schenectady,  and  the  next  year  was  settled  as  the  pastor  of 
the  church  in  Pittsfield. 

In  1854,  Dr.  Tappan  received  the  degree  of  LL.  D.  from 
Columbia  College.  The  degree  of  D.  D.  was  conferred  upon 
him  by  his  Alma  Mater.  In  1850  he  was  elected  a  correspond- 
ing member  of  the  Imperial  Institute  of  France. 

The  last  letter  I  received  from  him  was  dated  Pasle,  Febru- 
ary 17,  1870.     He  died  at  Yesey,  Switzerland,  Nov.  15,  1881. 


71 

Of  Dr.  Todd,  who  was  so  recently  identified  witli  all  the 
public  interests  of  this  town,  I  hardly  need  speak.  His  fame 
went  out  into  all  the  world.  He  was  known  and  read  of  all 
men.  His  prayers  were  a  benediction.  To  his  memory  how 
familiar  were  the  Songs  of  David.  The  old  poet's  harp  fell  to 
him  as  an  inheritance.  And  then,  how  true  and  sincere  were 
his  friendships.  What  a  tower  of  strength  is  such  a  character  ! 
How  exalted  and  divine  is  such  a  life  ! 

Of  the  eleven  pastors  of  the  church,  five  became  college 
presidents,  Wilham  Allen,  and  Drs.  Humphrey,  Bailey,  Tappan 
and  Youmans :  a  great  honor  ;  I  know  of  no  similar  example. 

The  longest  pastorate  was  Thomas  Allen's,  48  years ;  the 
shortest,  John  W.  Youmans,  two  years.     Dr.  Todd's  was  thirty. 

The  early  days  of  the  century  were  very  primitive.  In 
winter  we  suffered  for  want  of  fire  in  church.  The  elderly 
women  had  their  foot-stoves  ;  the  others  sat  and  shivered,  the 
snow  not  even  melting  off  their  shoes  during  service.  The 
main  supply  of  heat  was  furnished  by  Calvinism,  and  that  M'as 
al)undant. 

There  was  no  organ  or  flute.  Thomas  Hastings,  a  funny- 
looking  man  with  white  hair  and  pink  eyes,  came  and  gave 
singing  lessons.     At  the  close  he  gave  a  concert. 

The  west  part  of  the  town  was  occupied  by  the  Baptists  and 
Methodists.  My  father's  family,  I  believe,  was  the  only  excep- 
tion. The  next  toward  the  village  was  Stephen  Fowler's,  who 
was  a  blunt  old  man  of  very  few  words.  He  would  have  his 
own  way.  His  favorite  expressions  were,  "  I  will,  I  will ;  I 
won't,  I  won't."  He  lived  in  the  red  house  on  Fowler's  hill. 
Next  was  Col.  Janes,  then  Joseph  Merricks,  the  Merriman's, 
and  on  Childs'  hill  Dr.  Timothy  Childs,  whose  farming  was 
done  hj  his  patients.  Father  and  I  paid  our  doctor's  bill  by 
cutting  his  wheat.  This  was  done  with  a  sickle.  All  the 
farmers  turned  out  to  help,  or  it  would  have  taken  all  summer. 

Smith's  exhaustive  history  of  Pittsfield  leaves  little  for  the 
gleaner ;  a  few  straws  now  and  then. 

Originally  the  town  was  the  church  and  the  church  the  town. 
Municipal  and  ecclesiastical  elements  had  a  wonderfully  elastic 
way   of  blending.     Every  man   in  the  town  had  to  pay  a  tax 


for  tlie  support  of  tlie  Gospel,  Agnostics  and  Buddhists  as  well 
as  Puritans.  It  was  this  very  thing,  the  union  of  Church  and 
State,  the  Puritans  had  left  England  to  get  rid  of ;  and  yet  it 
was  the  basis  of  every  New  England  settlement. 

I  desire  to  call  attention  to  a  letter  which  has  been  in  my 
possession  for  more  than  fifty  years.  It  is  from  the  pen  of 
Col.  Samuel  Earned  to  his  son  Sylvester,  who  was  probal)ly  one 
of  the  most  brilliant  pulpit  orators  this  country  has  produced. 
For  the  benefit  of  those  who  may  not  have  heard  of  him,  I 
will  briefly  state,  that  Sylvester  Earned  was  born  in  Pittsfield, 
Mass.,  Aug.  31,  1796,  entered  Williams  College  in  his  four- 
teenth year,  and  the  next  year  was  transferred  to  Middlel)ury 
College,  and  graduated  in  1813,  delivering  an  oration  on  "  The 
Fall  of  Poland."  He  joined  the  Seminary  at  Andover,  con- 
tinuing there  but  a  few  months,  and  then  returned  to  Pittsfield, 
and  engaged  in  teaching.  In  November,  1814,  he  went  to 
Princeton,  and  pursued  his  studies.  On  the  17th  of  April, 
1817,  he  was  licensed  to  preach  by  the  Presbytery  of  New 
York,  and  in  July  following  he  was  ordained  to  the  work  of 
the  Ministry.  In  1817,  Rev.  Elias  Cornelius  induced  Mr. 
Earned  to  go  to  New  Orleans  and  prosecute  his  ministerial 
labors  there.  He  reached  that  city  in  January,  1818,  where  he 
remained  until  the  beginning  of  Ajjril,  when  he  set  out  to 
return  north,  reaching  Pittsfield  about  the  middle  of  June.  It 
was  during  this  last  visit  to  his  native  town,  that  he  was  invited 
by  the  military  authorities  to  offer  prayer  in  Ijehalf  of  the  as- 
sembled troops — for  it  was  the  annual  general  training — and  the 
place  of  meeting  for  drill  was  the  cantonment,  on  North  street, 
belonging  to  the  United  States  government.  The  troops  formed 
a  hollow  square.  An  officer  with  a  band  of  music  was  detailed 
to  conduct  Mr.  Earned  into  the  center  of  the  square,  and  there, 
in  the  presence  of  that  military  assembly,  he  offered  prayer  to 
Almighty  God  for  the  perpetuity  of  our  civil  and  religious 
institutions.  I  was  present,  a  child  of  but  nine  years  of  age, 
and  saw  and  heard  the  wonderful  orator.  My  father  had 
known  him  from  early  childhood,  and  took  pleasure  on  this  oc- 
casion in  introducing  his  little  son  to  him. 

On  the  31st  of  August,  1820,  the  day  which  completed  his 


73 

twenty-fourth  year,  lie  fell  a  victim  to  the  yellow  fever.  An 
interesting  memoir  of  this  remarkable  man,  by  Rev.  E..  R. 
Gnrley,  was  published  in  18 14. 

His  townsman  and  contemporary,  Rev.  J.  N.  Danforth, 
writes,  "  Larned  grew  up  a  healthy  boy.  At  thirteen  years  of 
age  he  delivered  an  oration  in  the  town  hall  at  Pittsfield,  on 
the  Fourth  of  July,  which  drew  forth  the  plaudits  of  wise  and 
thoughtful  heai'ts."  At  the  age  of  eighteen,  while  he  was 
teaching  school  to  eke  out  his  scanty  funds,  his  townsmen, 
proud  of  his  genius,  summoned  him  to  deliver  an  oration  on 
tlie  Fourth  of  July.  An  immense  assemlJy  filled  the  large 
church  at  Pittsfield.  If  an  orator  was  ever  to  be  embarrassed, 
that  was  the  time  and  place  for  such  a  stripling  as  he — sur- 
rounded by  those  who  knew  him  in  his  childhood.  But  he  rose 
to  the  full  height  of  the  occasion,  developing  that  unflinching 
confidence  in  his  own  powers,  which  never  forsook  him.  Peal 
after  peal  of  thundering  eloipience  seemed  to  shake  the  walls 
of  the  old  church,  while  the  fascinated,  astonished  audience, 
wild  with  excitement,  greeted  him  with  equal  and  answering 
measures  of  applause.  Pie  scattered  no  gaudy  flowers  of  rliet- 
oric,  but  maintained  a  high  and  noble  strain  of  vigorous 
thought  and  patriotic  sentiment.  I  cannot  say  how  much  the 
faultless  symmetry  of  his  person,  the  extraordinary  music  of 
his  voice,  and  the  energy  of  his  action  contributed  to  the  effect 
of  the  sentiment,  but  there  was  a  fine  proportion  iii  them  all. 

I  would  say  that  the  letter  referred  to  was  given  with  other 
family  letters  and  some  furniture  to  my  mother  on  the  death 
of  old  Mrs.  Larned,  in  whose  family  my  mother  lived  in  the 
early  part  of  the  century.  The  following  is  a  copy  of  Col. 
Larned's  letter : 

Cantonment,  Greenbush,  22  Sept.,  1813. 

Dear  Sylvester  : — 
I  received  your  line  by  Mr.  Kirby,  and  find  you  seem  to  have  made  your 
election  to  piu'sue  the  study  of  Divinity  ;  and  it  would  seem  there  is  a  better 
kind  of  Divinity  in  the  Jerseys  than  in  Massachusetts.  I  am  really  unable  to 
contradict  an  opinion  of  that  kind,  but  had  never  any  idea  of  it  before,  unless 
it  should  be  valued  like  any  other  article  by  the  expense  it  costs  to  obtain  it. 
I  have  informed  you,  and  now  repeat  it,  I  shoidd  never  luidertake  to  control 
you  in  the  choice  of  a  profession  ;  but  think  I  said  as  much  as  this,  that  either 
Law  or  Divinity,  with  a  bare  passable  reputation,  would  probal)ly  afford  you 


T4 

a  very  limited  subsistence.  The  former  places  yon  npon  fair  gronnds  as  a 
candidate  for  ])()litical  life  ;  the  latter,  leaves  you  no  alternative  without  a  re- 
nunciation of  your  professi(wi,  and  risk  of  hard  sufferings  to  your  prejudice. 
It  will  be  well,  as  you  are  young  and  your  mind  still  tender,  thoroughly  to 
examine  all  the  consecpiences  you  may  probably  encounter  through  life.  I 
have  ever  been  in  the  habit  of  viewing  the  clergy  and  the  religion  they  pro- 
fess. The  conduct  of  the  greater  \)iivt  of  the  clergy  in  the  County  of  Berk- 
shire (whom  I  had  been  in  the  habit  of  considering  as  pure  as  any  other)  oc- 
casions a  very  great  doubt  as  to  their  purity.  I  cannot  be  too  sure,  but 
when  I  see  them  overturning  the  church  of  Christ,  without  a  single  text  in  the 
Bible  to  support  them,  I  cannot — I  think  I  ought  nf)t — look  to  them  as 
guides  to  Heaven.  The  law  as  practised  at  this  day  is  degenerated  into  a 
mean,  contemptible,  swindling  em]iloyment,  by  those  especially  who  are  mere 
collectors  or  fonienters  of  little  unnecessary  suits,  which  comprehends  a  large 
proportion  who  are  christened  lawyers  in  the  Cc^uity,  and  even  the  State. 
You  mention  in  yom-  letter  a  wish  to  see  me.  I  sliould  be  very  happy  to  see 
you,  but  dare  not  make  any  appointment  until  some  troops,  say  1,500  or 
2,000,  which  I  daily  and  hourly  expect,  shall  have  passed  this  Cantonment 
on  their  way  to  the  lines  ;  when  I  shall  cheerfully  sec  you  at  sdmost  any 
place  ;  perhaps  you  might  ride  out  here  if  you  have  a  horse  at  leisure.  I 
will  pay  your  expenses.  I  shall  only  observe  that  yom-  happiness  is  my  ob- 
ject, and  the  greatest  satisfaction  this  life  can  afford  me  is  to  see  my  children 
both  comfortable  in  their  circumstances  and  respectable  in  society. 
My  love  to  all. 

Your  affectionate  father, 

S.    L.VRNED. 

The  letter  speaks  for  itself.  Col.  Larned  did  not  care  to  in- 
terfere with  his  son  in  the  choice  of  a  profession.  lie  had 
witnessed  the  convulsion  which  had  split  into  party  divisions 
the  Pittsfield  church,  where  he  and  his  family  worshipped.  It 
was  a  time  of  great  controversial  excitement  in  the  discussion 
of  religious  dogmas.  Calvinists  and  Armenians  met  face  to 
face,  and  engaged  in  bitter  warfare.  There  was  no  middle 
ground  for  the  churches  to  occupy.  Jonathan  Edwards  had 
l)een  driven  out  of  ^Northampton,  had  taken  a  mission  church 
among  the  Indians  at  Stockbridge,  had  written  his  treatise  on 
the  Human  Will.  Stephen  West  succeeded  Edwards,  and  wrote 
his  Essay  on  Moral  Agency.  John  Francis,  Yalentine  Rath- 
bone,  Elder  Leland,  and  the  Baptists,  were  gaining  proselytes. 
Lorenzo  Dow  and  the  Methodists  were  struggling  with  the 
Baptists.  The  Congregationalists,  old  line  and  new,  were  pull- 
ing each  other's  ears.  It  is  no  wonder  Col.  Larned  took  a 
gloomy  view  of  matters.     Dr.  Humphrey  had  not  as  yet  come 


Y5 

to  heal  divisions.  Tlie  great  re\dval  under  the  preaching  of 
Dr.  Nettleton  had  not  occnrred.  The  pohtical  world  was  in  a 
great  ferment.  Out  of  the  frenzy  and  liitterness  of  party 
strife,  had  grown  the  Federalist  and  Hartford  Conventions.  If 
anything  was  u]3,  Parson  Allen  could  not  he  still.  He  became 
a  j^artisan  of  Jefferson  and  Democracy.  His  church  was  in  a 
blaze  of  excitement,  and  split  into  two  factions,  Democrats  and 
Federalists.  It  was  not  strange  that  men  of  calm  and  thought- 
ful natures,  like  Col.  Larned,  should  take  exception  to  the  iii- 
llammable  zeal  of  the  clergy  in  jjolitics. 

In  closing  this  superficial  review  of  one  of  tlie  grandest  of 
the  New  England  churches,  let  us  rejoice  that  it  has  been  our 
privilege  to  enter  its  sacred  inclosure  and  listen  to  the  oracles 
of  Heavenly  wisdom  ;  that  here  many  whom  we  have  known 
and  loved  have  been  trained  for  the  higher  life;  that  here  God 
has  manifested  His  saving  power  and  magnified  His  name  ; 
and  that  here,  more  than  anywhere  else,  has  He  endeared  Him- 
self to  this  people. 


REV.  JOHN  WILLIAMS  YEOMANS 


The  following,  concerning  the  sixth  minister  of  tlie  First 
Church  of  Christ  in  Fittsfield,  is  from  a  paper  prepared  by  his 
son,  Rev.  Alfred  Yeomans,  Pastor  of  a  Presbyterian  Church  in 
Orange,  New  Jersey.  Mr.  Yeomans  died  soon  after  preparing 
the  paper. 

John  Williams  Yeomans  was  born  in  Hinsdale,  Berkshire 
County,  Mass.,  January,  ISOO.  He  was  in  boyhood  appren- 
ticed to  a  blacksmith  of  that  place.  But  having  a  strong  de- 
sire for  an  education,  before  the  term  of  his  apprenticeship  had 
expired  he  purchased  from  .his  master  the  balance  of  his  time, 
and  devoted  himself  to  study.  In  a  year  and  a  half  spent  in 
Albany,  supjjorting  himself  meanwhile  by  teaching,  he  was 
prepared  for  and  entered  the  Junior  class  in  Williams  College, 
where  he  graduated  in  1824,  with  the  second  honor  of  his  class. 


Y6 

Mark  Hopkins  taking  the  iirst.  He  finished  his  professional 
studies  at  Andover  in  1827.  The  same  year  he  organized  the 
First  Congregational  Cliurch  in  N^orth  Adams,  and  collected 
tlie  money  for  the  first  church  edifice.  While  in  North  Adams 
he  was  married  to  Lsetitia  Snyder  of  Albany.  Two  sons  were 
born  in  JSTorth  Adams,  where  he  remained  three  years. 

In  1831  he  was  called  to  Pittsfield,  where  he  remained  a 
little  more  than  two  years.  His  third  son,  George,  was  born 
here. 

In  June,  1884,  he  became  Pastor  of  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church  in  Trenton,  'New  Jersey,  and  continued  through  life  a 
Presbyterian  con  amore. 

His  pastorate  of  seven  years  in  Trenton  was  most  successful. 
Two  daughters  were  born  while  residing  there. 

In  1841,  accepting  the  presidency  of  Lafayette  College,  he 
removed  to  Easton,  Pennsylvania. 

In  1842,  Princeton  College,  Williams  College,  and  Marvin 
University,  Ohio,  conferred  upon  him  the  degree  of  Doctor  of 
Divinity. 

In  184.5,  he  left  Lafayette  College  and  became  Pastoi-  of  the 
Wahoming  Church  in  Danville,  Penn.,  where  he  spent  the  re- 
mainder- of  his  days,  about  nineteen  years  in  all.  He  died 
June  22,  18()8,  in  the  sixty -third  year  of  his  age. 

Besides  filling  various  public  positions,  Mr.  Yeomans  was 
conspicuous  in  the  councils  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  a 
well  known  and  prolific  author.  His  work  indicates  varied 
and  generous  ability. 


PARSON  ALLEFS  SHORTHAND. 


BY  HARLAN  H.   BALLARD. 


Rev.  Tlioiiias  Allen,  first  pastor  of  this  church,  was  or- 
dained April  18, 1764.  Two  days  before  tliat,  on  the  16th  of 
April,  he  preached  here  a  sermon  from  the  text,  "  Therefore 
we  conclude  that  a  man  is  justified  by  faith  without  the  deeds 
of  the  law."  It  was  a  vigorous  sermon,  full  of  Pauline  theol- 
ogy, and  evidenced  Mr.  Allen's  strong  and  decided  mind:  l)ut 
that  which  just  now  interests  us  most  in  this  sermon,  preached 
two  days  before  his  ordination,  is  the  fact  that  it  is  written  in 
a  peculiar  comljination  of  shorthand  and  cipher,  and  until  a 
few  days  ago,  had  remained  unread  and  um-eadal)le  for  one 
hundred  and  twenty-five  years.  Nearly  all,  if  not  all,  of  Mr. 
Allen's  manuscripts  are  in  this  same  stenography,  and  the  key 
to  the  translation  of  this  sermon,  which  it  has  just  been  my 
good  fortune  to  discover,  fits  them  all. 

Little  of  local  interest  in  the  way  of  historical  or  luographi- 
cal  record  has  been  found  in  the  three  or  four  papers  which 
have  thus  far  been  examined,  and  it  is  of  course  only  a  matter 
of  conjecture  whether  anything  other  than  an  elal)oration  of 
last  centm*y's  theology  will  be  found  hereafter ;  yet  the  facts 
that  Mr.  Allen  wTote  his  sermons  in  a  rapid,  practical  short- 
hand, and  tliat  there  is  revealed  in  the  few  already  read  a 
terse,  masculine  energy  of  thought,  power  oi  conviction,  and, 
withal,  tenderness  of  heart,  have  seemed  to  warrant  a  few  words 
at  this  time  regarding  the  style  of  stenography  employed  by 
him,  and  a  very  brief  account  of  the  method  by  which  it  has 
been  partially  deciphered. 

The  sermon  upon  which  our  work  was  begun,  was  this  one 
in  my  hand,  preached,  according  to  a  note  in  the  corner,  March 
4,  1804,  on  the  death  of  Mr.  Simeon  Crowfoot.     The  hope  of 


78 

finding  in  it  some  personal  recolleetious  of  Mr.  Crowfoot, 
induced  us  to  attempt  the  translation.  The  accompanying 
illustration  (Fig.  1)  is  a  fac-simile  of  the  opening  lines  of  liis 
funeral  sermon. 


4<-^. 


\.l. 


There  is  nothing  in  it  from  l)eginning  to  end  which  has  a  less 
puzzling  or  more  practicable  appearance  ;  indeed  these  lines  are 
the  most  favoralde  of  all  for  study,  because,  as  the  writer  })ro- 
crressed  with  his  discourse,  and  as  his  mind  grew  exalted  and 
his  heart  grew  warm,  his  hand  increased  its  swiftness,  and  his 
hieroglyphics  redoubled  their  intricacy.  It  at  once  seemed 
probable  that  within  these  lines  was  concealed  a  text ;  and  a 
text,  moreover,  adapted  for  a  funeral  sermon.  But  a  careful 
inspection  of  the  cipher  served  rather  to  prove  its  excellence 
than  to  comfort  its  would-be  translator.  Is  it  "  1,"  the  first 
book,  Genesis;  "11,"  the  eleventh  chapter;  "  T,"  the  seventh 
verse  ;  and  then,  "  19,"  the  19th  chapter,  and  "  2,"  the  second 
verse?  We  leap  at  the  chance,  and  open  our  ]>ible  to  see 
whether  those  verses  are  appropriate  for  a  funeral  discourse. 
The  former  reads  "  Come  ye,  therefore,  let  us  go  down,  and 
there  confound  their  tongue,  that  they  may  not  understand  one 
another's  speech."  This  hits  the  case  to  a  nicety, — but  not  in  the 
way  we  had  hoped !  But  perhaps  the  fourth  character  is  not 
a  "7,"  but  a  "y,"  standing  in  the  cipher  for  some  word  ;  })er- 
haps  also  the  last  character  is  not  a  ^  2,"  although  it  looks  so 
much  like  one.  Ou  this  hypothesis  we  read  "  The  lllth  some- 
thing, and  the  19tli  something  else."  What  can  this  be  but  the 
lllth  Psalm,  and  the  19th  verse?  Surely  no  other  l)ook  than 
the  Psalms  has  111  subdivisions.     With  something  akin  to  ex- 


Y9 

nltation  we  turn  to  tlie  111th  Psalm, — and  discover  that  it  con- 
tains only  ten  verses. 

Batfled  for  the  moment,  we  lay  aside  this  sermon  and  take  np 
another,  the  one  first  referred  to,  written  forty  years  earlier. 
Perhaps  Mr.  Allen  may  not  have  been  so  fluent  w^ith  his  quaint 
stenography  then:  possilily  he  made  his  strokes  more  slowly, 
and  more  distinctly.  Such  is  the  case.  Not  only  is  this  earlier 
sermon  much  more  carefully  executed,  but  here  and  there  is  a 
word  in  ordinary  script.  He  teas  learning  the  cipher.  The 
words,  however,  help  us  little,  and  suggest  no  text  in  which 
they  may  occur,  "  Judaizing,  "■  allow,"  "  covet,''  "  boast,"  "  con- 
sonant," "separate,"  "union."  A  glance  at  the  concordance 
shows  that  either  they  are  not  in  the  Bilde  at  all,  or  are  there 
so  often  as  to  render  search  useless.  But  here  at  the  beginning 
is  a  line  set  off,  evidently  a  text,  a  short  text  of  al)0ut  sixteen 
words,  and  the  sign  for  the  next  to  the  last  word  identical  with 
the  fourth  preceding  it.  Moreover,  at  the  left  of  the  brace, 
among  the  figures,  are  the  same  two  characters  whicli  we  be. 
fore  thought  might  stand  for  "Psalms"  and  "verse."  Why 
not  "  chapter"  and  "  verse"  ?  If  so,  a  third  chapter,  and  a 
twenty -eighth  verse. 

A  patient  examination  of  the  tliird  chapter  of  each  book  in 
the  Bible  showed  that  only  some  half  dozen  of  them  contained 
twenty-eight  verses ;  and  the  only  one  which  seemed  at  all  to 
correspond  in  length,  and  in  the  recurrence  of  the  same  word 
near  the  end,  was  Romans  3  :  28,  "  Therefore  we  conclude 
that  a  man  is  justified  by  faith  without  the  deeds  of  the  law." 
The  event  proved  that  this  was  correct ;  and  it  was  of  some 
advantage  to  know  it.  It  gave  the  signs  for  "  therefore," 
"  that,"""  a,"  "  by,"  "  the,"  and  "  of,"  and  the  signs  for  "  chap- 
ter" and  "  verse,"  and  by  giving  also  the  character  for  the  letter 
"  j,"  it  furnished  the  clue  to  the  text  shown  in  Fig.  1,  whicli 
was  J.  14  cli. :  19  v. 

We  next  turned  to  a  third  sermon,  "  On  the  marriage  of  my 
daughter  Betsey  to  Mr.  White,  in  the  21st  year  of  her  age." 
Here  the  false  assumption  that  the  preacher  would  choose  a 
text  from  the  New  Testament  for  such  an  occasion,  had  nearly 
proved  fatal  to  success. 


80 

A  7th ,  chapter  and  a  14th  verse  were  evidently  called  for. 
The  only  corresponding  verse  in  the  New  Testament  that  could 
be  used  for  a  wedding  sermon,  is  1  Cor.  7  :  14,  "  For  the  nn- 
helieving  husband  is  sanctified  by  the  believing  wife,  and  the 
unbelieving  wife  is  sanctified  by  the  believing  hnsband."  Al- 
though this  seemed,  perhaps,  a  trifie  personal,  and  while  I  sym- 
pathized with  Mr.  White's  probable  end)arrassment  on  hearing 
its  first  clause  solemnly  pronounced,  I  yet  accepted  it  as  a 
translation  of  the  characters  in  question,  and  was  for  many 
hours  plunged  into  dire  confusion.  I  afterward  dis(;overed  that 
the  real  text  was  taken  not  from  Corinthians,  but  from  Eccle- 
siastics 7 :  14,  "  In  the  day  of  prosperity  be  joyful ;  l)ut  in  the 
day  of  adversity  consider." 

It  is  useless  to  trace  farther  the  fascinating,  tliough  very  de- 
vious path  which  led  to  the  recovery  of  the  key  to  this  most 
ingenious  shorthand.  Part  of  this  key  I  have  wa-itten  here. 
(Fig.  2.)     It  will  be  noticed,  that,  although  used  by  Mr.  Allen 


4 


/-- 

f= 

t 

^ 

L  = 

^  (^AoAcCJ 

V  = 

\  = 

=    7n 

"T 


r  -^  /"  -  ^ 


^^ 


:t^. 


nearly  sixty  years  before  Pitman  invented  his  more  perfect  sys- 
tem, it  is  yet  essentially   a  phonogra])hic   system.     The  lines 


81 

represent  sounds  rather  than  letters  or  words.  Like  Pitman's, 
too,  it  relies  cliieliy  upon  the  consonants,  and,  when  necessary, 
indicates  the  vowel  sounds  by  dots  placed  in  particular  posi- 
tions. I  have  heard,  though  as  a  rumor,  that  Mr.  Allen  used 
Weston's  system  of  shorthand. 

James  Weston  lived  in  London,  and  published  his  treatise  in 
1730.  It  reappeared  in  many  successive  editions  until  17-49. 
Instructions  have  been  sent  to  a  Boston  dealer  to  procure,  if 
possible,  a  copy  of  this  ancient  "  Compleat  Stenographer,"  that, 
together  with  Mr.  Allen's  manuscript,  it  may  be  laid  away  in 
the  archives  of  the  Athenaeum. 

Combined  with  the  stenogra])hy  proper  in  these  old  sermons, 
is  a  perplexing  use  of  symbols,  possibly  invented  in  part  by 
Mr.  Allen  himself.  For  example,  a  circle  represents  "  the 
world,"  and  a  straight  line  drawn  across  a  circle  is  translated 
"  through  the  world  ;"  a  slanting  line,  the  equivalent  of  the 
letter  "■  m,"  stands  with  Mr.  Allen  for  "  him,"  and  a  line  across 
it  reads,  of  course,  "  through  him."  He  also  used  the  custom- 
ary oblique  cross  for  "  Christ,"  and  a  line  through  the  cross, 
and  a  dot  above  it,  means  "  through  Christ  Jesus."" 

One  very  touching  thing  has  come  to  light  in  this  connection, 
and  proves, — -as  does  also  the  sermon  on  the  death  of  Simeon 
Crowfoot,  where  the  text,  (a  f ac-simile  of  which  is  given  in  Fig. 
1,)  was,  "And  many  of  the  Jews  came  to  Martha  and  Mary  to 
comfort  them  concerning  their  brother," — that  Mr.  Allen's 
heart  was  very  gentle  and  loving.  When,  years  later,  his 
daughter  Betsey  died,  Mr.  Allen  preached  her  funeral  sermon, 
and  in  connection  with  it  quoted  from  the  same  passage  which 
he  had  chosen  for  her  wedding  text,  when  she  had  stood  in  the 
blush  of  womanhood  at  the  altar  and  joined  her  right  hand  to 
the  hand  of  Mr.  White ;  this  time,  however,  emphasizing  with 
infinite  pathos  the  latter  instead  of  the  former  clause  :  Ecclesias- 
tes  7  :  14,  ''In  the  day  of  adversity  consider.''* 


S2 

We  append  a  fac-simile  uf  one  pasre  of  Mr.  Allen's  manuscript,  with  the  translation 
It  IS  taken  from  the  sermon  first  referred  to,  preached  in  Pittstiekl  two  days  before  his 
ordmation. 


83 

Translation. 
"  APPLICATION. 

I  am  iiiialjle  to  ^  *  state  of  all  siicli  as  seek  justification  by 
the  deeds  of  the  law,  and  are  strangers  to  the  grace  of  God  in 
their  own  hearts.  They,  like  the  young  man  in  the  Gospel, 
think  that  they  are  in  very  good  standing  with  the  law ;  and 
they  think  that  the  law  does  not  demand  perfect  obedience,  and 
so  does  not  extend  to  the  heart ;  or  they  are  ready  to  contend 
that  they  are  perfect  and  justified  by  the  law.  Amazing  stu- 
pidity !  How  unacquainted  are  all  such  with  their  own  hearts, 
who  think  that  they  are  not  debtors  to  the  laws  of  God, 
but  have  kej)t  them  from  their  youth.  I  haste,  therefore,  in 
faithfulness  to  my  Master  for  whom  I  have  spoken  this  day, 
and  in  the  discharge  of  a  sacred  account,  to  urge  all  such  per- 
sons as  these  (who)  think  they  are  not  sinners,  the  law  having 
no  demands  upon  them  because  of  their  regular  life,  or  who 
think  that  the  law  demands  not  perfect  obedience,  and  extends 
not  to  the  heart  *  *  life  ;  or  who  trust  that  they  will  be  accepted 
of  God  because  of  their  moral  virtues,  and  who  have  no  such  *  * 
as  this,  (otherwise  all  their  *  *  are  unprofitable  *  *)  thoroughly 
to  consider  upon  what  foundation  they  build,  where  are  their 
hopes,  and  for  what  is  *  *  this  word  of  the  Apostle  in  the  9tli 
of  Romans  :  '  Israel,  which  followed  after  the  law  of  right- 
eousness, hath  not  attained  to  the  law  of  righteousness?  Where- 
fore ?  Because  they  sought  it  not  by  faith,  but  as  it  were  by 
the  works  of  the  law.'  '  For  they  being  ignorant  of  God's 
righteousness,  and  going  about  to  establish  their  own  righteous- 
ness, have  not  submitted  to  the  righteousness  of  God.'  The 
hope  of  all  such  self-righteous  persons  will  perish  as  the  green 
hope  of  the  grass.  '  They  will  lean  upon  their  house,  but  it 
will  not  stand,  they  will  hold  their  hope  fast,  but  it  will  not 
endure.'  Cultivate  this  thought  then  in  your  hearts,  my  dear 
hearers  (?),  that  all  things,  all  your  goodness,  your  moral  vir- 
tues, you  have  but  *  *;  in  yourselves,  you  are  entirely  unworthy 
of  justification,  and  can  claim  no  right  to  it  on  account  of  any 
virtue  in  yourselves,  but  only  through  Christ. 

If  you  build  your  hope  on  this  Rock,  try  your  foundation 
and  it  will  not  be  shaken.     When  the  sun  shall  be  extinct,  and 


84 

the  stars  shall  start  from  their  spheres,  your  hope,  your  stay, 
remaineth  sure. 

If  it  is  as  has  been  said,  that  we  are  justified  by  faith  with- 
out the  deeds  of  the  law,  then  where  is  boasting  ?  It  is  excluded. 
The  boaster  hath  nothing  to  boast  of,  but  cries  '  Grace  !  Grace! 
all  is  free  grace,  for  I  had  nothing  in  me  to  please  God.'  " 


FORMER,  DAYS. 


BY  H.  M.   P. 


It  may  not  be  exactly  a  recalling  of  the  "  glories  of  the 
former  house,"  but  it  will  be  calling  to  remembrance  some  of 
its  peculiarities  to  speak  of  the  bookcase  located  at  the  right  of 
the  high  "  box-pulpit,"  filled  with  suitable  "  Sunday  reading" — 
John  Ward,  Preacher  and  Robert  Elsmere  not  included — for 
those  persons  who  lived  so  far  away,  that  once  having  got  to 
church,  they  remained  for  both  morning  and  afternoon  sessions. 
How  the  familiar  figures  rise  up  to  the  mind's  eye.  Mrs.  Cro- 
foot,  tin  foot-stove  in  hand,  Mrs.  Cogswell,  Madame  Childs, 
Mrs.  Dunham,  Mrs.  Deacon  Goodman,  Mrs.  Chapman  "  of  the 
west  part,"  and  many  others.  Sermon  over,  the  Sunday  School 
assembled  in  the  (jrdinary  pews,  for  as  yet  there  was  no  lecture- 
room,  and  these  venerable  matrons  gathering  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  pulpit,  each  took  a  book,  and  diligently  improved  the  inter- 
mission. How  faithful  they  were  to  their  ideal  of  keeping  the 
Sabbath  holy. 

In  the  flourishing  days  of  the  Young  Ladies'  Institute,  with 
what  interest,  not  to  call  it  by  the  odious  name  of  curiosity, 
was  the  advent  of  the  hundred  young  women  (more  or  less) 
looked  for.  Does  any  one  see  any  connection  between  the  fact 
that  they  occupied  the  gallery  to  the  left  of  the  preacher,  and 
that  sittings  down  stairs,  to  the  preacher's  right,  were  greatly 
coveted  by  the  youths  of  the  period.  They  (the  youths)  cer- 
tainly managed  to  keep  within  eye-shot  of  the  rosy  maidens. 

Nothing  shows  more  clearly  the  change  in  ideas,  and  that 


85 

true  advance  in  what  may  be  called  the  democracy  of  Christ- 
ianity through  which  a  great  preacher  once  said  "  the  best 
tilings  are  for  all  in  these  later  times"  than  the  different  meth- 
ods of  seating  the  people  now  and  in  the  former  days,  while 
nothino;  shows  how  hard  it  is  to  annul  an  idea  or  custom  once 
rooted  in  the  steadfast  Anglo-Saxon  blood,  than  the  persistence 
with  which  the  chief  "  seats  in  the  synagogue"  continued  to  be 
located  far  up  the  broad  aisle,  long  after  we  had  ceased  to  care 
for  Lords  or  Dukes  or  even  Esquires,  on  this  side  of  the  water. 
In  those  old  aristocratic  times,  a  stranger  could  tell  "  who  was 
who,"  by  observing  the  occupants  of  those  pews,  which  were 
"  owned"  and  transferred  like  a  piece  of  real  estate.  In  those 
days  it  must  have  been  hard  for  a  man  to  discriminate  the  exact 
point  where  the  worship  of  his  God  began,  and  that  of  his 
own  respectability  left  off. 

To  an  ol)server  who  occupied  the  "  coin  of  vantage"  afforded 
by  the  corner  seat  among  those  young  women  aforesaid,  some 
pictures  come  back  very  vividly.  The  venerable  Dr.  Hum- 
phrey, whose  attitude  and  conduct  were  the  emliodiment  of 
devoutness,  and  who  listened  to  the  familiar  pulpit  truths  with 
an  expression  of  attention,  as  alert  as  if  he  were  hearing  the 
"  glad  tidings  of  great  joy"  for  the  first  time,  Mr.  Calvin  Mar- 
tin, always  there,  Mr.  Ezekiel  Colt  and  Mr.  Levi  Goodrich 
equally  faithful,  Mr.  Lemuel  Pomeroy,  whose  snowy  cataract 
of  shirt-ruffle  and  carefully  tied  queue  were  a  welcome  and 
picturesque  legacy  from  the  fashions  of  the  former  century, 
and  the  more  practical  fly-combating  silk  handkerchiefs  of  Mr. 
Weller  and  Deacon  Goodman  deliberately  thrown  over  the 
bald  surfaces  so  inviting  to  their  tormentors.  When  Dr.  Childs, 
or  Deacon  Allen,  or  Mr.  Jason  Clapp,  or  Mr.  Solomon  Russell 
were  absent  from  church,  the  query  was,  "  What  is  the  matter 

of V  or  ''  how  long  has  he  been  sick  ?"  for  everybody 

knew  that  nothing  Init  physical  disability  would  detain  them. 

To  a  person  who  had  grown  up  under  a  pastor  who  would'nt 
have  admitted  a  person  to  the  church  till  he  could  have  ren- 
dered a  reason  for  the  faith  that  was  in  him  "  according  not 
only  to  the  Gospel,"  but  also  according  to,  Jonathan  Edwards' 
deepest  reasonings,  it  was  a  wonderful  and  significant  incident 


to  see  the  grand-daughter  of  the  first  minister,  who,  though  a 
mere  child,  liad  resolved  to  plant  her  young  feet  in  the  paths 
of  righteousness,  "  united  to  the  church." 

That  the  leading  women  of  that  day  loved  l)eautiful  things, 
and  that  tliey  thought  nothing  too  good  for  the  House  of  the 
Lord,  was  evidenced  by  the  earnestness  and  zeal  with  which 
they  toiled  for  the  adornment  of  the  present  church  when  the 
"glories  of  the  former  house"  liad  become  a  thing  of  the  past. 

In  this  day  of  profuse  aesthetic  decoration,  it  is  difficult  to 
appreciate  what  an  ''  advanced'  eifort  it  was  to  secure  the  carv- 
ing of  the  communion  table,  the  chairs  and  the  sofa  by  Mrs. 
Jason  Clapp,  who  knew  that  among  "  the  men  at  the  shop" 
there  was  a  skilled  English  carver  who  could  do  work  that  still 
commends  itself  as  "  good,"  and  which  being  wrought  largely 
from  the  seasoned  oak,  without  flaw  or  blemish,  that  came  from 
the  beams  of  the  former  house,  forms  a  pleasant  link  between 
that  and  this. 

More  than  a  generation  has  passed  since  we  began  to  gather 
in  our  present  spiritual  home,  beautified  by  the  offerings  of 
many  loving  hands,  notably  b}'  a  worthy  descendant  of  the 
sturdy  fighting  parson,  and  although  we  must  own  that,  consid- 
ered as  "  glories"  pure  and  simple,  those  of  the  latter  house  are 
far  greater  than  those  of  the  former,  it  will  be  long  before  we 
shall  outdo  the  men  and  women  of  the  former  day,  in  unselfish 
devotion  to  what  they  believed  the  true  inserests  of  the  First 
ConiJ-remitional  Church. 


OLD  USAGES  AND  PROMINENT  PROFESSORS. 


BY  C.   L.   K. 


' '  Old  perfumes  wander  back  from  fields  of  clover, 
Seen  in  the  light  of  suns  that  long  have  set, 
Old  voices  call  us,  through  the  dusk  returning  ; 
And  then  we  ask  with  vain  and  troubled  yearning. 
What  is  the  charm  that  makes  old  things  so  sweet  V 

The  committee  on  tlie  churcli  anniversary  have  called  for 
"  Old  Usages"  and  "  Prominent  Professors."  Old  usages  imply 
two  things :  1st,  being  an  eye  witness ;  will  any  woman  in 
the  First  Church  of  Pittsfield  admit  that!  2d,  historical 
license.  Should  the  facts  touched  seem  a  repetition  of  a 
"  former  treatise.  Oh  Theophilus,"  they  will  be  excused,  as  well 
as  not  a  little  unavoidable  egotism.  In  Isaiah,  41st  chapter, 
we  read,  "  Let  them  shew  the  former  things  what  they  be,  that 
we  may  consider  tliem."  A  text  was  necessary  one  hundred 
and  twenty-five  years  ago  ! 

My  earliest  recollections  of  the  First  Church  of  Pittsfield 
are  being  dressed  in  a  white  gown  and  jockey  hat  made  by 
the  renowned  milliner,  Miss  Abigail  Ives,  and  taken  across  the 
"green,"  under  the  shadow  of  the  big  elm,  "to  meeting;"  to 
the  spacious  square  pew,  next  the  pulpit,  at  the  right  of  the 
broad  aisle,  (pronounced  oil)  where  sat  my  grandfather.  Captain 
Campbell,  and  Mr.  William  Hollister, — age  and  respectability 
deciding  the  location.  Mr.  Hollister  seemed  the  "  father  of  all 
living;"  for  thirteen  children,  when  at  a  proper  age,  were 
brought  to  that  pew.  My  father's  pew  at  the  left  of  the  broad 
aisle  near  the  center,  with  Mr.  James  Buel ;  next  ours  the 
Cliilds'  pew ;  old  Dr.  Timothy  and  Pachel,  eminent  saints. 
So  were  all  their  descendants.  "  Col."  Tom  and  "  Congressman 
Tim,"  brought  their  southern  brides  to  that  pew,  and  they  knelt 


88 

so  gracefully.  This  \vas  our  first  sight  of  au  Episcopalian ; 
exotics  then  !  Opposite  were  the  Golds,  High  Sheriff  Brown, 
and  the  Pomeroys.  Will  not  a  description  of  the  style  of  dress 
be  interesting  ?  Gentleman's  dress,  a  dark  blue  silk  camlet, 
trimmed  richly  with  lion's  skin ;  a  lady's,  black  satin  pelisse 
with  round  cape,  trinnned  heavily  witli  plush ;  a  large  Leghorn 
flat  with  ostrich -feather  trimming  around  brim,  and  lined  with 
yellow  satin ;  ostrich  plumes  at  the  side.  Beat  that  if  you  can, 
1889  !  The  "  caste  line"  was  generally  drawn  l)y  the  quality 
of  the  muff  and  tippet.     Tlie  church  was  cold ! 

The  Sabbath  dawned  at  sundown  on  Saturday  evening, — the 
first  religious  rite,  a  thorough  scruljbing  of  each  child — or  more 
properly  Friday  evening,  when  the  ruffled  shirts  were  plaited 
for  the  Sabbath.  All  the  family  sat  motionless  with  a  good 
book.  I  was  not  allowed  any  one  less  serious  than  "  Anna 
Ross,"  Sabbath  morning  Archelseus  Bolton  rang  the  first  bell 
at  half-past  nine,  the  second  at  half  past  ten.  Dr.  Humphrey 
the  minister.  Service  ended  at  twelve  ;  and  those  from  a  dis- 
tance, if  not  asked  to  the  house  of  some  friend,  ate  their  dough- 
nuts reverently  in  church,  and  a  deacon  would  then  call  them 
together  for  a  prayer-meeting.  At  half-past  one,  afternoon 
service,  and  at  its  close  the  Sunday  School.  Miss  Martha  Gold 
was  my  teacher.  We  reached  our  homes  at  dusk  in  winter; 
and  after  a  repast,  the  children  were  catechised,  and  often 
chastised.  Will  a  personal  illustration  be  admissable  ^  My 
father  had  come  from  New  York,  a  long  and  tedious  journey, 
in  a  sloop  up  the  "North  River."  He  brought  his  little  girl 
a  long  shell  comb,  which  cost  one  dollar.  Tlie  next  Sunday  I 
didn't  catechise  to  suit  him,  was  arraigned,  my  condj  boxed  to 
splinters,  and  I  said  "  I  am  glad  of  it."  After  the  children's 
drilling,  preparation  for  evening  lecture  ;  though  calling,  knit- 
ting, and  spinning  proper  for  those  who  prefei'red  exercises  less 
spiritual  than  a  sermon.  Sunday  was  a  day  of  activity ;  the 
same  spirit,  methinks,  that  now  reigns  in  the  children  of  diso- 
bedience ! 

There  was  no  initial  religion  and  benevolence.  No  "A.  B. 
C.  F.  M,"  "S.  C.  E.,"  "  Y.  M.  C.  A.,"  "W.  C.  T.  U.,"  "I.  O. 
O.  F.,"   "  G.  Y.  L."     No  "  Knights  of  Pythias,"  "  Legion  of 


89 

Honor,"  "  Daughters  of  Kcbekali,"  "  Haclie-iio-sos,"  "  Crescent 
Lodge,"  "Ethel  Division,"  "Coral  Workers,"  "King's  Daugh- 
ters," "  Daisies,"  let  alone  sewing  societies  and  clubs  innumera- 
ble, about  to  sublimate  in  a  "  Congregational," — but  those 
saints  were  "  obedient  to  the  heavenly  vision,"  according  to 
their  light. 

All  week-day  services  were  held  in  the  upper  room  of  the 
South  Street  Church ;  the  lower,  an  academic  hall.  The  en- 
trance to  the  lecture-room  was  fearful ;  for  boys  had  mutilated 
with  pen-knives,  and  girls  with  pencils,  till  it  was  as  amusing 
and  curious  as  the  passages  between  the  two  Florence  galleries. 
Everything  conceivable  was  done  in  that  lecture-room ;  con- 
certs, fairs,  chemical  lectures ;  and  on  one  Sabbath  evening  a 
thunder-bolt  entered  the  colored  pew,  passing  through  the 
room,  but  doing  but  little  harm.  Harry  Hoose,  the  faithful 
servant  of  Mr.  Henry  C.  Brown,  was  stunned.  Daniel  Web- 
ster was  present  there  at  a  fair,  and  bought  pin-cushions  and 
made  a  speech  ;  Dr.  Holmes,  too  ;  and  recited  a  poem,  "  What 
a  dollar  will  buy."  Not  until  a  dramatic  show,  for  the  "glori- 
ous cause  of  temperance,"  did  the  fiat  go  forth  from  Dr.  Todd, 
"  ]^o  more  religious  worship  here."  He  carried  it  out,  and  a 
small  lecture-room  was  built  where  stands  om's  now.  The 
Sunday  School  was  transferred  from  tlie  church  to  that  lecture- 
room  in  South  Street,  and  the  session  changed  to  nine  in  the 
morning.  Mr.  Calvin  Martin  was  superintendent,  followed  l)y 
tlie  Hon.  E.  A.  N^ewton;  the  roll  called  at  opening. 

Another  "  stone  of  stumbling"  was  our  church  perverted  by 
a  gaping  crowd  at  Cattle  Show.  There  was  the  "  oration,"  and 
the  premiums  dispensed.  Josiah  Quincy  came,  and  he  caught 
my  youthful  attenti(jn  by  reciting  "  Tlie  Trees  going  forth  for 
a  King."  A  "  Free  Mason"  entertainment  restored  the  church 
to  its  legitimate  uses.  The  square  pews  changed  to  slips  be- 
fore 1830,  and  the  lu'oad  aisle  was  removed  ;  two  side  aisles,  with 
the  pew  occupants  in  position  as  before ;  the  center  aisle 
closed.  There  was  a  space  in  vestibule  for  two  huge  stoves,  witli 
pipes  quite  across,  under  the  galleries,  and  terminating  in  an 
arch  before  the  pulpit.  On  either  side  at  entrance  four  pews 
were  raised,  and  there  sat  Mr.  Samuel  Colt's  family  and  ours — 


90 

rrmcli  too  siglitly  a  place  for  devotionless  Iminan  nature.  Tlie 
tliree  center  seats  were  free,  and  in  gallery  two  sqnare  pews 
were  retained  for  the  colored  people.  There  sat  Kate  Frazer,- 
called  "the  Duchess;"  Sallie  Hoose,  too,  who  always  wept  du- 
ring the  entire  service,  and  reeled  to  and  fro  from  emotion. 
The  singing-gallery  over  those  raging  stoves  looking  at  noon, 
when  the  small  boys  were  filling  the  foot-stoves,  lurid  enough 
to  carry  an  Atlantic  steamer.  In  that  gallery  sat  on  first  row 
the  Misses  Brattle,  Miss  Julia  (now  Mrs.  Burbanlc,) — lovely  in 
old  age,  she  visited  Pittsfield  a  few  years  since — Deacon  Good- 
rich's daughters,  and  others.  On  the  second,  Betsey  Campl)ell, 
Aurelia  Hollister,  Mary  Brown,  (the  village  beauty)  and  Au- 
relia  Bissell, a  character  who  was  so  "mighty"  in  the  Scriptures 
and  Hymn  Book,  that  in  advanced  life  she  could  read  chapters 
and  hymns  with  the  book  upside  down  or  inside  out.  Opposite, 
the  tenor  and  bass,  Mr.  James  Warriner,  Mr.  Lyman  Warri- 
ner,  Charles  Gold,  Dr.  Campbell,  and  led  by  Col.  Warriner, 
with  a  singing-school  led  by  Thomas  Hastings.  The  music  was 
fine  ;  "Dundee,"  "Windham,"  "Mear,"the  style  of  the  tunes. 
Dr.  Humphrey  was  most  judicious ;  and  though  he  portrayed 
eternity  vividly,  'twas  never  harsh.  At  the  close  of  the  after- 
noon service,  wdien  at  its  noisiest,  John  B.  Root  would  (piict  it 
by  a  marriage  bann ;  "  Marriage  is  intended  between  Mr.  Win- 
throp  Campbell  and  Miss  Emma  Lyman  of  Richmond."  The 
monthly  concert,  the  first  Monday  of  the  month ;  always  a 
Wednesday  evening  lecture;  a  monthly  meeting  of  church 
members  to  test  progress^  and  a  church  fast  as  often  as  needed. 
Once  a  minister  was  seen  carrying  a  tin  pail  on  such  a  day,  sup- 
posed to  contain  oysters  !  The  Friday  evening  meetings  in  East 
and  South  Streets, — two  were  necessary,  as  the  facilities  for 
getting  al)out  evenings  were  meager  then,  and  the  meetings  at 
the  convenience  of  the  lady  who  received  them.  There  was 
the  same  cry  then  as  "now  is  and  ever  shall  be;" — "  Speak  to 
to  the  children  of  Israel  that  they  go  forward."  One  evening, 
entering  the  lecture-room,  eyes  dazzled  l)y  a  yellow  curtain 
stretched  cpiitc  across,  taking  in  the  half  of  the  room:  a  poor 
investment;  for  a  good  portion  were  daring  enough  to  sit  be- 
hind it,  which  was  worse. 


91 

After  the  harvest  was  gathered,  and  more  rest,  the  niiiiister 
would  say,  "  As  there  is  now  more  time  for  thonti;lit,  let  ns  not 
have  occasion  to  saj,  '  The  harvest  is  past,  and  our  souls  not 
saved.' ''  A  committee  formed,  and  a  decision ; — that  deacons 
and  laymen,  two  by  two,  should  visit  every  family ; — the  time 
and  placed  amiounced  from  the  pulpit.  They  were  generally 
well  received.  I  was  present  at  one  visitation.  It  was  two  o'clock. 
The  work  was  "'done  up,"  and  the  women  of  the  family 
asseml)led  in  the  best  room  with  knitting-work.  A  deacon  and 
layman  appeared;  women  breathless.  The  deacon  stepped 
toward  one  of  the  ladies — a  spinster — and  inquired  for  her 
soul  (  "  Soul  "t  you  had  better  inquire  for  my  soul !  I  remem- 
ber your  pranks  old  fellow !  You  need  not  talk  to  me  about 
a  soul." 

After  the  thorough  visitation  was  over,  another  meeting. 
What  next  ^  An  evangelist,  Mr.  J^ettleton,  came  with  mar- 
vellous results.  Others  from  time  to  time,  and  they  were  called 
"  Kew  Lights,"  "  New  Measures," — Dr.  Benian,  Dr.  Kirk,  Mr. 
Finney.  There  were  morning  meetings  at  eight  o'clock  at  the 
medical  boarding-house;  public  service  at  ten;  inquiry -meet- 
ing after,  deacons  and  laymen  assisting ;  service  again  at  two, 
and  at  evening  a  prayei'-meeting  and  in(|uiry-meeting  at  the 
l)oarding-liouse.  Going  to  our  home,  the  minister  would  say, 
"  Go  alone  if  possible,  speak  to  no  one."  It  was  as  stringent 
as  a  physician  prescribing  a  l)reathing-tube  for  weak  lungs. 

The  Medical  College  demolished,  the  prayer  and  inquiry 
meetings  were  at  the  house  of  the  Pastor  after.  At  one  such 
meeting,  the  minister  stood  at  the  door  to  receive  us,  and  as 
one  and  another  came  he  w^ould  ask,  "Saint  or  sinner f  I 
very  modestly,  not  confidently,  replied,  '' Sainty  "Go  in 
parlor,  sinners  up  stairs."  He,  excited,  swayed  between  those 
above  and  below ;  and  when  with  saints  said,  "  Progress  up- 
stairs— pi'ay  !"  The  revival  seasons  were  styled  ''The  Cloiid^'' 
of  greater  or  less  extent;  once,  extending  six  miles:  Joel 
Foster  came  into  town — a  colored  lay  preacher — and  said, 
"There's  a  great  awakening  in  the  'gulph  !' " 

It's  quite  time  the  good  deacons  were  introduced — Deacon 
Bissell,  Deacon  Crofoot,  Deacon  Ichabod  Chapman,  and  Deacon 


02 

Goodrich,  (prouoiiiiccd  Gutrick).  They  were  "grave" — ''not 
given  to  filthy  lucre" — but,  did  seem  a  little  "  double  tongued," 
if  judged  by  tlieir  quiveriug,  quavering  tones,  when  using  strik- 
ing texts  for  general  condemnation.  Deacon  Bissell — "  Curse 
ye  Meroz.  Curse  her  bitterly.  Curse  ye  the  inhabitants 
thereof ;  because  they  come  not  to  tlie  help  of  the  Lord.  The 
help  of  the  Lord  against  the  mighty."  Deacon  Ci-ofoot — "  Lay 
judgment  to  the  line  and  Righteousness  to  the  })lummL't.  Let 
the  hail  sweep  away  your  refuge  of  lies."  Deacon  Chapman — 
"  Oh  ye  despisers  !  Wonder  and  perish !"  Deacon  Cuodrich, 
illustrative ;  speaking  of  an  Eastean  rite,  he  said,  "  I  suppose 
common  kind  of  Christians  can  scarcely  see  how  the  thing 
could  1)0  done,"  and  fell  at  full  length  on  the  floor  to  show  how" 
it  might  be.  Those  deacons  lived  and  died  in  strong  faith. 
Deacon  Crofoot  sent  this  notice  to  the  pulpit :  '■'  Deacon  Cro- 
foot,  contemplating  a  journey  to  Albany,  asks  the  prayers  of 
God's  people,  that  he  may  go  and  return  safely." 

We  would  not,  if  we  could,  call  them  back  to  earth ;  "  the 
disobedient  first  parents "  their  starting  point  and  tlieme, 
gone!  No  data  for  the  introduction  of  sin!  Abraham,  Isaac, 
and  Jacob  historic  myths !  The  prophets  nearly  swept  away, 
and  no  "Messianic  prophecies."  The  wdiale  didn't  swallow 
Jonah,  although  a  sea-serpent  sixty-five  feet  long,  'tis  said,  is 
now  in  oS^ew  York.  'Twould  give  Jonah  a  parlor  and  bed- 
room ! 

Those  deacons  would  lift  up  holy  hands  and  exclaim,  "  De- 
liver us  from  this  untoward  generation."  One  specimen  of  the 
wife  of  a  deacon,  Mrs.  Crofoot.  She  was  a  small,  pleasant- 
faced  woman,  always  accompanying  her  husband  with  the  foot- 
stove.  She  showed  a  little  vanity  after  his  death  in  supposing 
every  gentleman  burthened  with  serious  intentions.  She  would 
say  "  Go  home !  Get  ready  for  your  grave,  where  you  are  go- 
ing soon,  and  /  too  /" 

The  lawyer  who  ^''executed''''  for  her  asked,  "How  much 
'sweetnin'  do  you  use  a  year  ?"  "  Fifty  pounds  !"  "  Too  much  ! 
too  much !"  She  didn't  see  "  what  business  a  lawyer  had 
meddlin'  with  her  sweetnin  !" 

These  wives  lived  simply,  not  comfortably.     One  wood  fire 


93 

in  kitchen ;  supplies  for  winter  to  be  laid  in  ;  a  barrel  of  apple 
sauce;  candles  to  be  dipped;  a  barrel  of  pickles;  mince  pies 
to  be  made  and  put  away  in  an  unoccupied  floor  up  cliamljer, 
and  protected  from  mice ;  pumpkin  and  apples  to  be  dried  on 
lines  bung  across  kitclien ;  a  cask  of  bop-beer  for  drink  and  to 
supply  "emptins"  for  bread.  Notwithstanding  these  inconven- 
iences and  household  duties,  they  never  "  forsook  the  ordinan- 
ces." A  variety  of  vegetables  for  dinner  the  great  desideratum. 
Mrs.  Crofoot  heard  a  knock  at  her  door  in  the  forenoon.  She 
didn't  let  them  "  knock  and  go  away,"  nor  could  she  send  word 
"  engaged  ;"  so  with  her  sleeves  turned  up  and  knife  in  hand, 
she  went  to  the  door.  ''  Come  in  ;  glad  to  see  you  ;  I  was 
gittin  my  sass  ready  for  dinner,  I  have  got  my  lo7\<j  sass  done. 
It  won't  take  long  to  do  short  sass."  "  Long  sass" — beets  and 
parsnips;  "short" — onions  and  turnips.  We  wouldn't  recal 
tliese  wives!  Imagine  Mrs.  Ichabod  Chapman  at  the  house  of 
a  modern  deacon.  Would  she  not  be  dazed  with  the  day's  pro- 
gramme '{  ^'' Hind ustanee"^  to  her! — at  11  a  piazza  party  ;  at  5 
an  "afternoon"  tea;  at  6  a  "high"  tea,  where  six  plates  at  least 
would  be  necessary  for  each  person  before  the  stomach  could 
set  off  on  a  fresh  digesting  tour !  The  deacon  engaged  later  at 
either  "  drive"  whist  or  "  progressive"  euchre.  Cards,  to  her, 
the  "  deadly  Upas"  under  whose  shadow  no  "  Professor"  could 
live.  A  "  German"  the  next  evening,  with  a  matronly  profes- 
sor" as  chaperone.  She  would  exclaim,  "  take  me  back  to  my 
long  sleep !     Let  me  lodge  among  the  monuments." 

We  should  like  to  introduce  Miss  ]^ancy  Ingersoll  to  a  mod- 
ern benevolent  society, — not  to  the  Young  Ladies'  Benevolent, 
for  she  was  the  founder  of  it,  and  it  has  kept  its  Ingersoll 
flavor.  Seventy  years  ago  it  sent  Cyrus  Mason,  a  fledged  min- 
ister, to  New  York.  We  will  fancy  her  at  a  society,  which  I 
heard  described  by  a  connoisseur,  a  few  days  since  :  "  I  have 
yet  to  see  a  more  beautiful  display  of  silver,  glass,  viands,  and 
service.  The  linen  and  napkins  so  flne  !"  IIow  nmch  of  the 
four  hours  alloted  to  work  did  that  magnificent  lunch  consume  '. 
"  He  that  sitteth  in  the  heavens"  may  not  "  laugh,"  but  the 
heathen  "  will  have  them  in  derision." 


94 

PKOMINENT    PKOFESSOES. 

Miss  Nancy  Ingersoll  "  par  excellence,"  one  whom  Orville 
Dewey  wonld  have  called  a  "spiritualized  ogre  of  childhood;" 
with  a  strong,  determined  face,  she  rushed  through  these  streets 
from  shop  to  sho]),  int(j  ofhces,  frightening  the  lawyers,  and 
urging  every  one  to  "fall  on  knees  and  sul>mit."  I  shiver 
while  writing  of  her.  Miss  Lydia  Adams,  who  always  followed 
every  smile  with  a  tear  and  a  prayer.  I  was  thrown  into  her 
presence,  excited  her  risibilities,  and  she  told  me  "  how  sadly 
it  made  her  feel."  One  dear  old  lady  said  to  me,  "  My  child  ! 
where  will  you  end  if  you  laugh  so  much  ^"  A  Sunday  School 
Superintendent  asked  a  friend  of  mine,  a  teacher,  "if  she 
couldn't  smile  less  when  teaching  V  Such  professors  had  better 
join  a  menagerie,  where  nothing  but  the  hyaena  would  discom- 
fort them  ! 

Mrs.  Jemima  Severance,  of  a  calm,  poetic  religion  ;  she 
lived  on  Washington  mountain,  and  picked  berries ;  and  told 
us  of  the  birds,  which  "  sMig  and  flitted  about  her  surrounding 
scenery."  One  aid  to  her  poetic  nature  was  extraordinar}'. 
During  a  morning  service,  in  the  old  church,  a  lovely  white 
dove  entered ;  Jemima  sat  in  the  free  seat  near  the  door ;  the 
dove,  after  flying  through  the  aisles,  passing  the  Pomeroys  and 
Golds,  rested  on  Jemima's  shoulder  ;  the  church  and  she  ex- 
cited ;  for,  had  not  the  "  Spirit  like  a  dove  alighted  on  her." 
She  always  wore  black ;  but,  when  called  to  mourning,  she 
added  a  large  black  crape  pocket-handkerchief.  As  she  was  a 
sanctuary  weeper,  it  was  rather  disfiguring ! 

Having  given  a  severe  and  ideal  type,  I  introduce  another, 
which  people  have  called  nominal. 

"  Dosia"  Herrick — a  keen,  intellectual  woman.  She  "  did  all 
that  might  become  a  woman,"  and  much  'more.  At  an  early 
age  she  donned  male  apparel,  and  drove  a  stage  from  White- 
hall to  Saratoga.  She  sawed  and  chopped  wood,  chewed 
tobacco,  and  finally  papered  and  painted  houses ;  a  charming 
cook  withal,  and  lived  a  long  time  in  that  capacity  at  Major 
Thomas  A.  Gold's.  I  heard  one  of  the  most  acute  gentlemen 
of  Pittsfield  say,  "  she's  a  keen  reasoner  ;  I  take  every  op])or- 
tunity  of  talking  with  her."     Between  thirty  and   forty  years 


95 

ago  she  lived  at  Deacon  Fenn's,  in  the  lionse  occupied  by  Mr. 
H(dland,  East  street.  During  a  revival,  tidings  came,  Dosia 
Herrick  is  "  under  conviction.''  [I  may  he  excused  for  using  so 
ol)solete  a  term.]  Everybody  was  interested  ;  and  there  was 
really,  what  would  be  called  now,  a  "  l:»ulletin  board."  The 
second  morning — "Dosia  has  passed  a  night  of  anguish!" 
The  third — "  Dosia  has  come  out  bright !"  [I  use  these  terms 
reverently.]  They  help  to  make  "  The  Usages."  She  stood  in 
the  aisle  of  the  old  church,  made  a  profession,  but  only  for  a 
short  time  went  to  church.  I  often  asked  her  "  Why  ?"  "  I 
have  no  clothes  ;  I  won't  accept  any."  "  I  have  no  seat ;  won't 
accept  one ;"  and,  perhaps  on  a  step-ladder  near  the  ceiling,  she 
would  say,  "  I  know  I  love  my  Lord,  I  Avait  for  his  appear- 
ing." She  lived  to  a  great  age.  Her  eye  lost  its  peculiar 
sparkle,  "the  sound  of  the  grinding  was  low,"  and  she  was 
taken  to  the  House  of  Mercy, — so  against  her  natural  instincts, 
independent  through  and  through.  A  brother  at  the  west  was 
needy,  and  she  sent  her  hard  earnings  to  him,  expecting  them 
returned.  They  never  came.  Many  other  most  useful  and 
prominent  professors  might  be  added.  The  Danforths,  the  , 
Whites,  the  Cogswells. 

There  liave  been  a  few  ripples  on  the  church  surface.  When 
a  bass-viol  was  introduced ;  when  a  font  was  proposed,  and 
flowers  ;  but  the  "  war  of  the  roses"  exceeded  all.  • 

We  awoke  one  Sabl)ath  morning  to  the  fact  that  the  "beau- 
tiful house  where  our  fathers  worshipped"  was  irrevocably 
scorched.  An  adjournment  to  Burbank  hall,  of  which  Dr. 
Holmes  said  :  "  The  pictures  that  hang  in  Burbank  hall  would 
frighten  the  spiders  from  the  wall."  There,  until  the  grand 
stone  edifice  was  completed,  we  worshipped.  Then  came  the 
question,  red  or  blue?  Dr.  Todd  opposing  the  blue,  said, 
"  How  sliall  I  look  behind  a  blue  cushion."  A  lady  remarked, 
"  The  sky  is  blue."  "  Yes !  but  a  good  way  off,"  replied  the 
Doctor.  Blue  carried  the  vote,  and  Dr.  Todd  preached  "  hlue 
Presby  terianism . ' ' 

Will  any  one  ask,  were,  or  were  not  "  the  former  times  better 
than  these  V  There  certainly  was  a  more  marked  outward 
distinction   between   the   so-called    "Children  of    Light"  and 


96 

"  Children  of  Darkness."  I  fear  Mrs.  Crofoot  would  say, 
"  Yon  need,  like  a  flock  (rf  sheep  from  tlie  washing,  to  be 
branded  with  vermilion  red  to  l)e  distinguished.'' 

This  vast  audience  must  decide  wlietlier  age  or  talent  called 
forth  the  sad  yet  pleasant  invitation,  to  a  modern  thinker,  to 
recall  "  Usages  and  Professors"  of  seventy  years  ago ! 


MISSIONARIES  FROM  THE  FIRST  CHURCH 

Between  1819  and  1850. 


BY   DEACON  JAS.   H.   DUNHAM. 


My  interest  in  Foreign  Missions  commenced  in  1817,  when 
I  was  fourteen  years  of  age,  so  what  I  have  to  say  of  that  time 
must  be  from  a  boy's  standjioint.  I  then  inet  Mr.  Levi  Par- 
sons, who  had  come  from  Cambridge,  N.  Y.,  into  the  family  of 
old  Dr.  Prime,  (where  I  was  living)  to  see  if  he  could  raise 
funds  to  send  missionaries  to  the  Holy  Land,  He  and  Rev. 
Pliny  Fisk  had  offered  themselves  to  go  on  that  mission.  He 
endeared  liimsclf  to  the  youtliful  members  of  the  family,  who 
all  became  his  warm  admii'ers  and  ardent  friends. 

In  1811)  I  came  to  Pittsfield.  Fisk  and  Parsons  had  already 
gone  to  the  Holy  Land,  and  I  was  prepared  to  notice  every- 
thing done  for  Foreign  Missions.  I  was  admiring  a  large  field 
of  corn  growing  on  the  west  side  of  North  street,  opposite 
Maplewood,  and  was  told  that  that  field  was  being  cultivated 
by  the  deacons  of  the  First  (Jhurch  for  the  benefit  of  Foreign 
Missions.  The  names  of  the  deacons  were  Daniel  Cliapman, 
Daniel  Crofoot,  Eli  Maynard,  and  Charles  Goodrich.  Yery 
soon  after  this  I  heard  that  a  Miss  Partridge,  living  in  the 
northeast  part  of  tlie  tOAvn,  had  offered  herself  to  go  as  a  For- 
eign Missionary.     Slie  was  married  to  Mr.  Samuel  Whitney, 


97 

and  sailed  with  the  first  band  of  missionaries  tlmt  went  to  the 
Sandwich  Islands,  in  October  of  tliat  year,  (1819). 

In  the  revival  of  1827,  a  yonng  man  was  converted  by  the 
name  of  David  White,  son  of  Mr.  Enoch  White  who  lived  in 
East  street.  He  was  a  very  enthnsiastic  Christian.  He  earl}^ 
consecrated  himself  to  the  work  of  missions,  and  after  due 
preparation  was  sent  by  the  American  Board  to  Cape  Palmas, 
now  the  Gaboon  mission,  on  the  western  coast  of  Africa.  He 
was  married  to  a  lady  of  Cambridge,  N.  Y.,  and  sailed  October 
31,  1836,  from  Baltimore.  They  both  died  of  the  fatal  fever 
of  that  climate,  after  a  few  months'  residence  there. 

About  the  year  1839,  Miss  Salome  Danforth,  a  daughter  of 
Col.  Joshua  Danforth,  went  out  to  Smyrna  as  a  teacher,  sent 
by  the  Young  Ladies'  Benevolent  Society  of  the  First  Church. 
After  a  time  Miss  Danforth  needed  an  assistant  teacher  in  her 
school,  and  Miss  Eliza  Howard,  a  daughter  of  Welcome  S. 
Howard,  then  a  member  of  the  First  Church,  was  sent  by  the 
same  society  that  was  supporting  Miss  Danforth.  Miss  How- 
ard returned  after  two  or  three  years.  She  was  afterward 
married  to  Kev.  Mr.  Wood  of  the  Satara  mission,  India,  where 
she  died  in  a  few  years. 

The  next  who  went  from  this  Church  as  a  missionary  of  the 
American  Board,  was  Dwight  Whitney  Marsh.  He  was  sent 
to  the  Assyrian  mission.  After  laboring  there  a  short  time,  liis 
wife  died,  and  he  returned  to  this  country. 

In  Septeml;)er,  1848.  Miss  Lucy  Taylor,  daughter  of  Deacon 
Thomas  Taylor,  was  married  in  the  First  Church  to  Dr.  Charles 
H.  Wetmore  of  Lebanon,  Conn.,  and  they  sailed  as  missiona- 
ries of  the  American  Board  to  the  Sand^sach  Islands.  They 
were  stationed  at  Hilo,  Hawaii,  and  remained  in  connection 
with  the  American  Board  only  aliout  six  years,  then  became 
self-supporting.  Mrs.  Wetmore  died  in  July,  1883.  Dr.  Wet- 
more  is  still  doing  the  same  work  at  Hilo  as  when  connected 
^\^th  the  American  Board. 

While  Dr.  Tappan  was  our  pastor  I  attended  a  meeting  of 
prayer  for  schools  and  colleges,  at  which  Dr.  Tappan  said  that 
the  great  need  of  missions  then  was  not  money,  but  men,  and 
he  thought  it  the  duty  of  Christian  parents  to  consecrate  their 


98 

children  to  the  work  of  missions.  Mr.  Ebeiiezer  Parsons  rose 
in  his  place  and  said  he  had  a  son  whom  he  should  be  glad  to 
consecrate  to  that  work  if  the  Lord  would  accept  him.  Prayer 
was  offered  in  his  l)ehalf.  This  son,  Justin,  was  then  a  lad 
about  six  or  seven  years  of  age.  He  came  into  our  Sunday 
School,  and  after  a  time  went  to  Williams  College.  Du- 
ring his  college  course  he  was  converted,  and  immediately 
gave  himself  to  the  work  of  foreign  missions.  Pie  man'ied 
Miss  Catherine  Jennings,  a  graduate  of  Oberlin  College,  and 
they  were  sent  by  the  American  Board  to  the  Syrian  mission 
April,  1850.  When  he  was  in  this  country  some  years  later,  on 
a  visit,  I  related  to  him  the  incident  of  his  father's  consecration 
of  him  to  missionary  work  while  he  was  a  boy.  He  said  he 
had  never  heard  of  it  before.  Mr.  Parsons  was  a  modest,  unas- 
suming man,  a  laborious  and  successful  missionary,  and  greatly 
endeared  himself  to  the  people  for  whom  he  labored.  In  Au- 
gust, 1880,  while  returning  from  one  of  his  frequent  missionary 
tours  through  the  country,  and  camping  for  the  night  within  a 
day's  journey  from  his  home,  he  was  brutally  murdered  in  his 
sleep  by  a  band  of  native  robbers.  He  left  a  wife  and  four 
children.  Mrs.  Parsons  and  a  daughter  are  still  lal)oring  in 
the  field  where  he  spent  thirty  years. 

This  account  closes  with  the  year  1850,  since  which  time  I 
have  not  been  familiar  with  the  work  of  the  Church. 


Evening  Session. 


KEMARKS  OF  MR.  HENRY  MARQUAND, 

OF    NEW    YORK. 

In  a  queer  little  book  called  "  The  Life  of  a  Prig,"  that  sen- 
tentious individual  records  Ids  supreme  thanksgiving  for  the 
inestimable  blessing  of  a  mother  who  could  speak  Greek.  The 
only  excuse  that  can  mitigate  my  presumption  in  taking  part 
in  these  ceremonies,  is  the  incomparable  advantage  of  having 
a  mother  who  was  born  and  bred  in  Pittsfield,  and  who  is 
doubly  a  daughter  of  this  First  Church. 

This  is  especially  a  day  of  reminiscences,  when  it  is  more 
than  ever  becoming  to  dwell  on  the  merits  of  those  who  have 
gone  before.  In  the  latest  work  of  your  gifted  fellow-towns- 
woman,  Mrs.  Rose  Terry  Cooke,  the  fidelity  of  whose  delinea- 
tions of  New  England  life  has  never  been  surpassed,  there  is 
an  apostrojihe  to  the  notable  qualities  of  the  young  women  of 
a  former  day  contrasted  very  forcibly  with  the  inclinations  of 
the  present,  that  have  produced  ''  a  class  of  over-dressed,  flaunt- 
ing, silly,  selfish  creatures."  (I  should  not  dare  to  indulge  in 
such  language  without  the  protection  of  quotation-marks.) 
You  will  find  the  same  sentiment  in  Boccaccio — if  you  are  per- 
mitted to  read  Boccaccio — who  says,  "  That  virtue  which 
adorned  the  minds  of  women  in  former  times  is  passed  in  our 
day  into  the  ornaments  of  the  body ;  and  she  whose  habit  is 
most  gaudy,  and  set  oif  with  the  most  embroideries  and  fantas- 
tic fringes,  deenieth  herself  worthy  of  honor  above  her  fellows, 
not  considering  that  if  it  be  a  question  of  loading  themselves 
with  bravery,  an  ass  will  carry  more  than  any  one  of  them." 
With  such  examples  it  will  not  be  thought  singular  in  me,  if 
for  the  moment  I  close  my  eyes  to  the  undoubted  charms  of 
the  present  generation,  and  join  the  procession  in  praise  of  that 
which  has  preceded  it,  thus  taking  a  hint  from  Charles  Lamb, 


100 

who,  in  reply  to  a  friciicrs  coninieiit  that  liis  works  would  never 
be  read  by  posterity,  exclaimed,  "  Confound  posterity  !  I  shall 
write  for  antiquity." 

I  am  not  aware  that  speaking  Greek  was  accounted  one  of 
the  accomplishments  of  tlie  households  of  Pittsfield  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-five  years  ago,  but  I  do  know  that  those 
households  at  that  time  and  ever  since  have  produced  a  mighty 
fine  strain  of  mothers,  and  it  will  never  be  brought  up  against 
them  if  the  time  stolen  from  the  study  of  Xenophon  and 
Aristotle  has  been  j^rofitably  employed -in  spanking  good  IS^ew 
England  morals  and  sound  New  England  sense  into  intelligent 
offspring.  The  New  England  mother  is  a  success.  I  wish  I 
had  the  elo(|uence  to  depict  the  loveliness  of  lier  nature,  the 
nobility  of  her  character,  the  sweetness  of  her  disposition  ;  but 
I  can  only  say  with  a  feeling  of  gratitude,  "  God  bless  her!" 
and  recommend  any  who  may  be  in  search  of  mothers  or 
grandmothers,  to  look  out  for  the  New  England  variety  and  the 
Pittsfield  pattern. 

The  first  pastor  of  your  church  presents  a  very  interesting 
figure.  He  deserves  to  be  remembered  for  the  gallant  way  in 
which  he  fought  at  Bemiington,  though  nothing  less  could  be 
expected  of  one  who  poured  hot  shot  into  Satan  and  all  his 
works  during  a  long  and  active  life,  than  that  he  should  mani- 
fest equal  courage  when  confronted  by  a  visible  foe.  But  even 
more  significant  is  it  to  discern  in  his  character  that  old  Puritan 
quality  which  your  pastor  has  eloquently  spoken  of  this  morn- 
ing, the  (juality  of  individualism  which  goes  to  strengthen  a 
sturdy  sense  of  personal  liberty,  and  which  is  in  a  measure  the 
foundation-stone  of  our  American  republic.  Can  you  imagine 
that  he  would  have  anything  but  scorn  for  that  modern  notion 
which  makes  of  all  life  a  mechanism,  of  all  men  and  women 
mere  machines,  and  which  induces  large  bodies  of  men  to  re- 
linquish every  attribute  of  manhood  at  the  behest  of  an  irre- 
sponsible demagogue  ?  He  was  employed  in  forming  a  com- 
munity where  everybody  was  somel)ody ;  he  and  his  successors 
were  occujjied  in  building  up  a  church  in  which  the  individual 
was  not  ignored,  thus  striving  to  purify  the  mass  by  elevating 
and  purifying  its  integral  parts.     It  is  this  (juality  that  has 


101 

stamped  tlie  Now  England  character  wherever  it  has  pene- 
trated, that  is  found  in  her  legislation,  in  her  literature  and  her 
thought,  an  animating  and  uplifting  force. 

And  what  a  glorious  theatre  is  that  in  which  this  wholesome 
principle  was  illustrated  by  such  a  life  as  his.  I  see  that  soli- 
tary figure  wending  his  way  back  from  Bennington  through 
the  exquisite  mazes  of  the  Hoosac  Yalley.  Greylock  is  before 
him  piercing  the  heavens  with  a  halo  of  cloud  about  its  top, 

and  he 

"  by  the  vision  splendid 
Is  on  his  way  attended." 

Ever}^  turn  of  the  road  revealed  a  new  scene  of  beauty  to 
his  sight  in  an  arrangement  of  hills  and  lakes  surpassing  to  a 
partial  eye  the  boasted  glories  of  Killarney.  The  elms  were  as 
noble  and  as  stately  then  as  to-day.  Birch  and  maple  flung 
their  gorgeous  dyes  along  the  river-banks  and  covered  the 
mountains  with  a  blaze  of  glory,  and  when 

"At  last  the  summer  meadows  lost 
Their  ruby-boss't  and  emerald  hues, 

September  tossed 
Upon  the  hills  her  dews 
White  with  the  autumn  frost." 

It  is  an  inspiration  to  own  kinship  with  traditions  so  pre- 
cious, to  feel,  however  remotely,  a  sense  of  proprietorship  in  a 
scenic  splendor  so  entrancing. 


KEMAKKS  OF  PEOF.  H.  HUMPHREY  NEILL, 
Of  Amheest  College. 

It  is  with  a  great  deal  of  satisfaction  that,  in  Pittsfield,  I  am 
at  last  called  upon  to  represent  myself.  Among  these  surround- 
ings, and  before  these  faces,  I  have  all  my  life  been  trying  to 
live  up  to  a  name. 

As  a  boy  I  was  patted  on  the  head,  as  a  young  man  I  was 
asked  to  say  "  How  do  you  do"  to  strangers,  because  I  was 
named  Heman  Humphrey.  In  college  I  received  undue  atten- 
tion through  a  kind  of  presidential  nepotism,  and  when  for  the 


102 

first  time  I  preached  in  this  pulpit,  where  I  was  inwardly  striv- 
ing to  master  some  individual  gait,  and  gather  some  personal 
grace,  I  was  introduced  as  the  son  of  my  father  and  the  grand- 
son of  my  grandfather,  and  then  left  to  sail  my  way  through 
the  sermon,  nameless  and  undistinguished,  on  a  sea  of  ancestral 
glory. 

When  this  exceedingly  kind  invitation  from  the  Church  of 
Pittsiield  came  to  Amherst  College,  and  the  College  asked  me 
to  serve  as  their  delegate,  I  mildly  interposed  that  on  the  very 
day  w^hich  the  Pittsiield  Church  was  to  make  renowned  for  all 
ages  the  Faculty  had  given  me  two  classes  to  teach.  How  could 
I  leave '(  The  answer  was,  that  if  I  had  not  had  a  grandfather 
I  might  never  have  had  any  classes  at  all  to  teach  in  Amherst  ! 

Thus  I  have  come,  and  by  your  sympathetic  introduction 
have  had  added  to  the  bequests  of  hereditary  vocation  the  du- 
ties of  an  individual. 

I  had  thought  to  come  and  say  that  for  the  first  time  in  her 
history  Amherst  College  had  an  opportunity  to  discharge  a 
debt  of  obligation  to  the  Pittsfield  Church  in  thanking  that 
church  for  the  gift  of  a  president  in  the  early  struggle  of  the 
college  for  existence.  But  I  now  find  that  I  am  expected  to 
acknowledge  a  theft  (in  taking  Dr.  Humphrey  from  Pittsfield) 
and  to  confess  the  crime. 

In  either  case  I  bring  you  the  gratitude  of  Amherst  College, 
and  the  joy  that  she  feels  in  her  partnership  with  you  in  the 
services  of  this  noble  man. 

I  know  the  difficulty  wnth  which  Dr.  Humphrey  left  Pitts- 
field. I  know  the  decision  to  accept  the  call  to  Andierst  was 
made  only  after  long  deliberation.  But  he  could  not  be  a  "  foun- 
dation-man" in  Pittsfield.  The  names  that  surround  us  on  these 
shields  had  already  laid  foundations  here,  wdiile  in  that  young 
institution  whose  cry  had  reached  him  he  might  begin  at  the 
bottom. 

If  I  should  speak  of  the  value  of  that  gift  of  yours  to  the 
College,  I  could  not  jDretend  to  imjiartiality.  It  is  doubtless 
true  that  every  point  of  his  life  is  illuminated  to  me  by  the 
glory  of  my  own  reverence  and  love,  a  glory  which  has  trans- 
lated his  life  into  an  ideal,  and  made  of  his  memory  an  inspira 


103 

tion ;  yet  the  best  of  this  confession  is  that  I  know  something 
of  the  same  reverence  and  love  dwells  in  the  hearts  of  many 
whose  eyes  I  meet  this  evening. 

When  Dr.  Humphrey  went  from  Pittsfield  to  Amherst  he 
came  into  close  contact  with  young  men.  He  returned  from 
Amherst  to  Pittsfield  to  bring  back  to  you  such  an  attachment 
to  young  people  as  he  never  could  have  known  but  for  the  ex- 
perience of  college  life.  He  returned  a  leader  among  the  young 
and  hopeful,  mature  in  wisdom,  mellow  in  charity,  his  youth 
renewed  like  the  eagle's. 

It  is  as  he  came  back  from  Amherst  that  I  rememl3er  him 
best,  and  most  of  you  best  remember  him  ;  not  the  man  with 
black  hair  and  full  color,  but  the  man  whose  presence  walked 
toward  the  sunset  while  his  spirit  had  not  forgotten  the  dawn. 
As  we  thus  remember  him,  he  stands  for  a  type  of  character 
not  entirely  modern,  one  for  which  our  eyes  are  not  so  kindly 
and  so  widely  opened  as  were  those  of  his  own  generation. 
This  is  the  day  of  the  specialist.  It  is  hard  to  find  an  old-fash- 
ioned family  doctor.  We  have  a  physician  for  each  disease. 
Lawyers  now  mass  themselves  in  firms,  each  member  of  which 
attends  to  one  department,  and  does  not  practice  in  an  office, 
but  occupies  a  compartment.  Students  in  college  tend  away 
from  a  liberal  education  toward  the  limitations  of  one  kind  of 
learning.  Thus  men  become  brilliant  at  points,  illuminated  as 
by  electricity,  with  small  dispersive  power. 

Where  is  the  old  character  that  was  once  an  inhabitant  of  our 
New  England  towns  ?  Those  men  were  spherical  in  their  de- 
velopment, and  radiant  from  every  part.  They  exercised  a 
lasting  influence  on  the  whole  community,  and  were  always 
larger  than  their  profession.  It  was  a  character  something 
after  this  sort ;  wanting  the  gleam  of  the  carbon-point,  but  dif- 
fusing a  silent  benediction ;  without  the  originality  of  eccen- 
tricity, but  sound  in  its  sanity ;  complete  in  its  development, 
following  the  God  of  righteousness  ;  benign,  gracious,  penetra- 
trating,  sturdy.  It  was  such  a  character  that  walked  these 
streets  in  the  body  of  Dr.  Humphrey. 

He  went  from  your  church  in  Pittsfield  to  teach  young  men 
in  Hampshire  County  how  to  live ;  he  returned  to  teach  men 


104 

in  Berkshire  County  how  to  grow  old  and  liow  to  die.  The 
most  precious  lesson  that  can  l)e  taught  to  any  generation  that 
has  passed  the  boundary  of  3n)uth,  is  the  faculty  of  growing  old 
graciously,  grandly,  and  with  large  charity. 

Dr.  Humphrey  was  a  Calvinist  of  the  Calvinists,  but  what- 
ever may  have  been  inwrought  into  the  fibre  of  his  integrity 
through  doctrine  did  not  prevent  in  him  an  adaptability  to  cir- 
cumstances, a  broad  wisdom  and  a  faith  in  humanity,  which 
enaliled  him  to  welcome  all  that  promoted  progress,  without  de- 
stroying his  reverence  for  the  tested  thought  of  the  past.  When, 
therefore,  the  struggle  was  over  in  which  the  charter  of  Am- 
herst College  was  fairly  wrested  from  its  opi3onents  in  the  Leg- 
islature, a  clause  was  found  in  that  charter  making  it  binding 
on  the  College  that  no  difference  of  religious  belief  or  doctrine 
should  prevent  any  one  from  occupying  a  professor's  chair,  or  a 
student  from  gaining  any  of  the  emoluments  of  the  Institution. 

This  is  the  man  whom  we  sent  back  to  you,  and  I  am  now 
ready  to  receive  your  thanks  for  retin-ning  him  in  such  excel- 
lent order. 

I  remember  him  as  he  walked  these  streets  and  greeted  al- 
most the  whole  town  as  his  friends.  I  remember  him  as  he 
took  me  l)y  the  hand  and  led  me  about  your  gardens  and  your 
beautiful  enclosures.  I  remember  when  the  click  of  his  cane 
on  the  door-steps  of  your  homes  was  the  only  signal  needed  to 
open  the  dt)or  for  his  welcomed  entrance.  I  remember  when 
he  pointed  out  the  trees  his  society  had  planted,  and  rejoiced  in 
their  growth,  thougli  he  knew  he  should  never  enjoy  their 
shade.  In  his  old  age  I  remember  him  when  all  the  beauty 
of  Pittsfield  was  his  to  enjoy,  and  the  glory  of  eternity  he 
simply  waited  for. 

It  is  this  Dr.  Humphrey  whom  I  represent  in  the  spirit  as 
well  as  in  the  body,  and  for  whom  Amherst  College  returns 
her  thanks  to  this  Church  and  to  this  people. 


105 


REMAKES  BY  EEV.  CHARLES  J.  HILL, 

Of  Stonington,  Conn. 

Tliis  is  tlie  first  intimation  that  I  liave  had  that  I  was  to  be 
called  upon  to  say  anytliing  this  evening  ;  but  your  Pastor 
wishes  a  few  words  spoken  for  Dr.  Todd.  After  the  graceful 
and  eloquent  tribute  of  Mr.  Jenkins  this  morning,  no  words  of 
mine  can  add  anything  to  your  honor  and  esteem  for  Dr.  Todd. 

Among  the  earliest  incidents  of  my  childhood  I  remember 
that  on  a  warm  Sunday  afternoon  my  father  took  me  with  my 
brothers  and  sisters  to  the  Sunday-School  of  the  new  Congre- 
gational Church  that  had  just  been  organized  in  Philadelphia. 
We  all  sat  on  a  vacant  semi-circular  seat  by  the  door,  and  tim- 
idly waited  for  some  one  to  speak  to  ns.  Yery  soon  the  minis- 
ter, whom  I  had  never  seen,  came  in  from  his  study  and  spoke 
to  us  so  pleasantly  and  kindly  that  all  fear  vanished.  As  I 
happened  to  be  sitting  on  the  end  of  the  seat,  and  was  the 
youngest,  he  laid  his  hand  upon  my  head  and  said  :  "  My  boy, 
I  hope  you  will  become  a  good  man  and  preach  the  Gospel." 
I  did  not  know  what  he  meant,  but  somehow  I  never  lost  the 
impression  which  those  few  words  made  upon  me.  Ever  after- 
ward I  felt  that  there  was  a  peculiar  blessing  in  the  touch  of 
the  good  man's  hand.  Often  my  father  would  remind  me  of 
it,  and  recall  my  wayward  feet  hy  saying,  "  Remember,  Dr. 
Todd  said  you  were  to  preach  the  Gospel."  So  enduring  was 
the  influence  of  that  little  act  of  the  new  minister  ! 

After  awhile  Dr.  Todd  left  Philadelphia  and  went  to  Pitts- 
field.  The  love  of  all  the  Sunday-School  followed  him.  He 
had  won  the  hearts  of  all  the  children.  On  one  occasion  he 
sent  down  a  great  box  of  maple  sugar,  and  I  shall  never  forget 
how  we  felt,  when,  at  the  close  of  the  afternoon  session,  each 
scholar  received  a  little  cake.  We  treasured  and  kept  it,  I 
know  not  how  long.  In  our  ignorance  we  thought  that  Pitts- 
field  was  far  off  in  the  woods,  and  were  very  sorry  for  the  good 
man  we  loved.  We  did  not  know  that  it  came  from  Long 
Lake. 

When  I  decided  to  go  to  college,  and  determined  to  carry  out 
the  prediction  of  my  Pastor,  I  wrote  to  Dr.  Todd  about  Will- 


106 

iams  College,  and  he  advised  me  to  go  there,  and  added, 
"  When  you  come,  stop  at  my  honse."  Afterward  I  foniid  it 
very  agreeable  to  stop  over  on  my  way  back  and  forth.  Dr. 
Ilojikins,  of  whom  I  nsed  to  ask  permission  wlien  I  wanted  to 
come  down  in  term  time  to  attend  a  concert  at  Maplewood, 
with  a  merry  twinkle  in  his  eye  would  say,  "  Yes ;  and  if  you 
happen  to  see  Dr.  Todd,  just  remember  me  to  him."  It  often 
"  happened"  that  I  did  see  him  ! 

So  I  came  to  know  Dr.  Todd  very  intimately,  and  l)ecame  a 
good  deal  interested  in  this  church. 

It  was  my  privilege  to  be  the  first  young  man  to  lead  u})  this 
aisle  the  lady  whom  he  was  to  call  his  wife  ;  who,  in  his  esti- 
timation,  was  the  choicest  of  Pittsfield's  most  intellectual  and 
brilliant  daughters.  On  another  occasion  it  was  my  delight  to 
bring  my  little  son  and  have  him  consecrated  to  Christ  and 
baptized  with  the  name  of  his  grandfather.  It  was  here,  too, 
that  I  preached  my  first  sermon,  wdiich  Dr.  Todd  criticised  so 
kindly  that  I  never  had  occasion  to  repeat  it,  but  clierished  the 
valuable  lessons  his  suggestions  gave  me  as  among  the  most 
useful  insti'uctions  of  my  ministerial  life. 

Yon  wdio  knew  Dr.  Todd  so  well  do  not  need  to  have  me 
speak  of  his  preaching.  He  had  Paul's  belief  in  the  power  of 
preaching,  and  the  Apostle's  conviction  that  it  was  woe  to  him 
if  he  preached  not  the  Gospel.  He  gave  himself  with  all  his 
enthusiasm  to  the  one  work  of  his  high  calling.  He  pressed 
into  its  service  all  the  energies  of  his  keen  intellect,  vivid  im- 
agination, romantic  fancy,  dramatic  powers,  pleasing  humor  and 
glowing  pathos.  He  read  much — read  everything — and  en- 
riched his  sermons  with  the  cream.  He  traveled  extensively, 
left  nothing  unseen,  asked  (piestions  until  men  grew  weary  of 
answering,  acquired  all  the  knowledge  that  could  be  gained,  and 
then  returned  to  delight  his  people  with  his  vivid  descriptions, 
and  make  God's  truth  clearer  by  his  capital  illustrations.  He 
studied  hard  on  his  sermons.  Though  he  had  more  despatch 
than  any  man  I  ever  knew,  he  never  thought  he  could  accom- 
plish anything  without  working  with  all  his  might.  And  so  he 
became  a  powerful  preacher,  original  in  style,  convincing  in 
argument,   striking  in  his    illustrations,  glowing   in    imagery, 


107 

fervid  and  tender.  At  times  he  was  grandly  elo(|uent,  never 
dull,  and  had  no  patience  with  stu])id  preachers.  He  was  never 
afraid  of  the  truth ;  never  unwilling  to  see  new  truths.  Though 
he  was  not  a  scientific  man  he  was  fond  of  investigation,  and 
always  welcomed  the  discoveries  of  science,  and  had  no  fear 
that  God  would  deny  in  his  works  what  he  had  said  in  his 
word.  He  preached  the  strong,  bold,  stern  truths  of  sin  and 
guilt  and  punishment ;  but  always  so  tenderly  and  lovingly  that 
you  were  sure  it  gave  him  more  pain  to  speak  than  it  did  you 
to  hear.  You  felt  that  he  loved  you  and  wanted  to  save  you. 
He  was  never  hopeless.  On  the  dark  background  of  sin  he 
always  showed  the  radiant  Cross.  Even  those  who  did  not 
agree  with  him  were  moved  by  his  pathos  and  won  l)y  his 
kindness.  As  you  heard  it  beautifully  said  this  morning,  this 
magnificent  church,  with  all  its  influence  for  good,  its  far  reach- 
ing l)enevolence,  its  Christian  progressiveness,  its  love  for  the 
ever-growing  Kingdom  of  Christ,  and  its  ransomed  saints  gath- 
ered with  him  in  the  Temple  on  high,  is  his  best  monument. 
You  are  what  you  are  because  he  loved  and  served  you  so  long 
and  faithfully. 

You  remember  that  l)eautiful  day  when  we  bore  him  up  this 
aisle,  along  which  he  had  so  many  times  walked  with  joyful  or 
anxious  tread.  The  solemn  strains  of  the  organ  did  not  disturb 
him.  The  respectful  rising  of  the  j^eople  did  not  awake  him. 
We  laid  him  down  in  front  of  this  pulpit  in  which  he  had  so 
earnestly  preached  the  Gospel  of  Salvation.  His  brethren  told 
of  his  faithfulness,  and  mourned,  saying,  "Alas  !  my  brother!" 
More  than  three  thousand  people  of  all  classes  and  creeds 
passed  sadly  by  and  looked  into  the  face  of  the  man  they  had 
so  long  loved.  We  moved  along  tlie  streets  that  were  crowded 
with  sorrowful  sj)ectators,  standing  with  uncovered  heads.  We 
passed  by  the  Catholic  Church,  whose  bell  tolled  for  the  good 
man  who  commanded  the  honor  and  reverence  even  of  those 
from  whom  he  dift'ered  in  his  creed.  We  entered  the  cemetery, 
consecrated  by  his  prayers,  wound  along  the  avenue  fittingly 
called  the  Pilgrimage  to  the  lot  purchased  by  your  generosity, 
and  there,  in  a  grave  completely  walled  with  roses,  we  laid  him 
down  to  rest.     Little  children   gathered  around  the  beautiful 


108 

grave,  whose  gloom  was  all  taken  away,  and  threw  their  fragrant 
flowei's  npon  his  casket ;  sweet  voices  sang  his  fnneral  song ;  a 
loving  friend  spoke  yonr  farewell ;  and  the  lingering  rays  of 
the  setting  snn  shone  into  his  grave,  as  if  in  token  of  the  glory 
that  had  ah-eady  greeted  his  spirit;  and  so  we  l^uried  John 
Todd. 

We  rejoice  that  such  a  man  lived  and  died  among  you,  and 
that  you  to-day  rise  up  and  call  him  blessed. 


KEMAPJvS  OF  REV.  E.  O.  BAETLETT, 

Of  Providence,  R.  I. 

It  is  a  great  thing  to  have  a  history  ;  a  family  history,  a  na- 
tional history,  a  church  history.  Lord  Bacon  said,  "  Histories 
make  men  wise."  They  do  more  ;  read  aright,  they  make  men 
reverent,  lead  them  to  trust  in  Providence  and  to  l)elieve  in 
God,  the  great  over-ruling  good.  However  confused  and  un- 
meaning the  present  may  seem  to  man's  short-sighted  vision, 
and  however  fragmentary  and  insignificant  an  individual  life 
may  appear,  like  a  waif  on  the  sea  or  a  feather  in  the  air, 

"The  sport  of  every  wave  that  flows: 
The  sport  of  every  wind  that  blows;'" 

nevertheless,  in  the  march  of  the  centuries  God  is  seen  to  be 
working  out  his  own  grand  purposes  toward  the  good  time 
coming,  when  ''  the  earth  shall  be  filled  with  the  knowledge  of 
the  glory  of  God  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea." 

Hence  there  are  few  duties  more  sacred  than  that  of  pre- 
serving history,  and  few  more  difficult.  Memory  is  so  treach- 
erous,— so  like  a  mirror  that  retains  its  object  only  while  pass- 
ing,— and  the  present  is  so  full  that  there  is  little  room  for  the 
past.  And  then  over-much  space  must  not  be  given  to  the  past, 
for,  while  history  is  to  be  our  lielj)er,it  is  not  to  be  our  depend- 
ence ;  while  it  is  a  portion  of  our  mental,  moral,  and  si)iritual 
food,  it  is  not  to  be  the  staff  of  life. 

Our  favorite  American  poet,  emphasizing  the  declaration 
Christ  made  eighteen  hundred  years  ago,  says,  "  Let  the  dead 


109 

past  bury  its  dead;"  and  Paul  exclaims,  "  Forgetting  those  things 
■udiicli  are  behind,  and  reaching  forth  unto  those  things  which 
are  before,  I  press  forward  toward  the  mark  for  the  high  call- 
ing of  God  in  Christ  Jesus.''  That  man  will  become  morose 
and  sour  and  mouldy  who,  like  Lot's  wife,  is  always  looking 
back.  It  is  a  bad  sign  wdien  a  man  is  always  dwelling  on  the 
past  and  can  see  no  profit  or  pleasure  in  the  present ;  to  whom 
the  past  is  a  kind  of  golden  age,  and  the  present  the  carnival  of 
evil  and  fraud  and  passion  and  avarice.  Such  a  man  becomes 
a  Cassandra,  a  prophet  of  evil  to  whom  no  one  will  listen ;  he 
becomes  a  misanthrope,  a  hater  of  his  kind,  and  finally  of  his 
own  self.  The  past  is  a  musty  volume,  and  under  its  mold  is 
the  poison  of  asps.  It  is  death  mentally,  morally,  and  spiritu- 
ally to  live  in  the  past.  Our  life  is  in  the  present,  and  we  are 
to  study  the  past  only  so  far  as  it  helps  us  to  live  and  to  do 
more  intensely  in  the  present,  "heart  within  and  God  o'er  head.'" 
This  it  Avill  do,  if  we  look  back  over  the  past  where  the  finger 
of  God  points  the  way.  If  we  read  history  as  we  would  exam- 
ine a  casket  holding  a  jewel,  and  that  jewel  the  church  of  the 
living  God,  then  history  will  be  as  a  lamp  thi-owing  its  light 
before.  Then  we  shall  learn  not  to  underestimate  the  present, 
for  we  shall  see  that  it  is  a  part  of  that  same  casket  that  can 
not  be  liroken.  However  lax  the  pi'esent  may  seem,  however 
cold  and  formal  religion  may  apj^ear,  nevertheless  our  confi- 
dence will  be  inmiensely  strengthened  by  the  revelation  of 
history  that  the  present  is  only  a  part  out  of  which  God  is 
working  our  good  and  his  own  glory. 

For  ages  past  God  has  wondrously  preserved  his  people. 
Amid  all  the  vicissitudes  of  rising  and  falling  empires,  wars, 
pestilence  and  famine,  the  church  has  remained  like  the  kernel 
of  fruit  whose  hard  shell  has  l)een  bruised  and  l)attered  by  the 
hurricanes  and  tornadoes.  When  autumn  comes — "the  last 
days" — the  bruised  shell  falls  apart,  falls  away  and  is  lost,  but 
the  kernel,  the  rich  fruit,  is  gathered  and  preserved.  So  em- 
pires fall  and  kings  pass  away  and  are  forgotten,  but  the  church 
of  the  living  God,  to  which  they  have  been  as  the  shell  of  the 
forest  to  its  rich  fruit,  remains. 

Statesmen  and  merchant  princes  think  that  the  great  interests 


110 

of  the  world  all  center  in  their  ])l;uis  and  achievements ;  they 
tliink  tliat  government  and  coiKjiiest  and  commerce  are  tlie 
chief  ends  of  man.  But  government  and  commerce  are  only 
the  shell  that  holds  the  kernel.  They  shall  fall,  pass  away,  be 
forgotten,  and  the  kernel,  the  church,  garnered  l)y  the  Chief 
Shepherd,  shall  nourish  and  strengthen  Christian  hearts  in  all 
generations  to  come. 

So  it  has  been  in  the  past ;  so  it  shall  be  in  the  future.  This 
is  the  great  revelation  of  history.  "  As  the  mountains  are 
round  about  Jerusalem,  so  the  Lord  is  round  about  his  people 
from  henceforth  even  forever."  "  Tell  your  children  of  it,  and 
let  your  children  tell  their  children,  and  their  children  another 
generation."    (Joel  1 :  3.) 

God  will  never  desert  his  people.  "  They  are,"  says  the 
Prophet  Isaiah,  ''the  boly  seed,  and  as  a  tall  tree  and  as  an  oak 
whose  substance  is  in  them  when  they  cast  their  leaves,"  the 
church  shall  remain  when  all  here  like  leaves  have  fallen.  For 
her  substance  is  of  God.  She  has  a  divine  life  and  can  never 
die.  One  generation  may  come  and  another  go,  vast  material 
changes  may  take  place,  ])arties  and  governments  may  rise  and 
fall,  kings  and  presidents  may  flourish  and  die,  l)ut  the  church 
of  God  shall  never  die.  This  marvelous  life  of  the  church, 
when  everything  else  is  changing  so  rapidly  and  passing  away, 
calls  us  to  new  faith,  new  hoj^es,  renewed  exertions  and  sacri- 
tices,  fully  assured  that  such  faith,  works,  and  love  shall  endure 
as  the  brightness  of  the  firmament  and  the  stars  forever  and 
ever. 

"  Tell  ye  your  children  of  it,  and  let  your  children  tell  their 
cliildren,  and  their  children  another  generation."  This  you  have 
been  doing  to-day,  not  simply  recalling  the  jDast  in  a  boasting 
way,  though  no  people  ever  had  a  better  reason  for  boasting 
than  this  Church.  You  are  here  fulfilling  the  connnand  of 
Christ ;  you  are  doing  what  Moses  did  so  often,  what  the 
prophets  did,  and  the  apostles,  and  what  is  left  for  us  to  con- 
tinue to  do  after  them, — to  tell  the  history  of  the  Church  as  an 
argument  for  God  and  His  divine  government,  for  it  will  sweep 
away  the  infidelity  and  scepticism  of  the  day  as  no  other  reason 
or  influence  can.     No  human   philosophy  can  account  for  the 


Ill 

marvelous  life  and  contimianco  of  the  church  through  all  ages. 
In  these  exercises  jou  have  preached  a  sermon  that  will  remain 
with  the  young  as  an  argument  for  God,  His  existence,  and  His 
providential  government.  You  have  illustrated  a  great  truth 
that  shall  go  down  to  your  children  and  to  their  children,  even 
to  another  generation.  And  we  all  may  thank  God  for  such  a 
history,  and  be  grateful  that  we  have  had  any  part  or  lot  in  it. 
I  thank  this  Pastor,  this  committee  of  arrangements,  this 
dear  people  of  Fittsfield,  that  once  more  I  have  been  permitted 
to  stand  in  this  grand  old  temple  and  mingle  my  words  and 
prayers  with  yours. 


EEMAKKS  OF  PRESIDENT  CARTEP., 

Of  Williams  College. 

I  need  not  express  to  you  the  pleasure  that  1  feel  in  coming 
here  to  present  my  congratulations  and  the  congratulations  of 
Williams  College  to  this  ancient  Church  for  its  ever  increasing 
glory.  If  I  were  to  tell  you  the  enthusiastic  feeling  I  have 
cherished  for  Pittsfield  ever  since  the  time  when  I  came  on  my 
horse  up  that  main  street,  seventy-two  miles  from  my  li(jme  in 
Connecticut,  on  my  road  to  Williamstown,  you  might  think  me 
very  complimentary,  but  I  have  such  a  reverence  for  this  place 
that  it  is  difficult  for  me  to  believe  that  Williamstown  was  set- 
tled only  one  year  later  than  Pittsfield,  and  that  the  Church  in 
Williamstown  was  established  only  a  year  later  than  this  church 
in  Pittsfield;  so  that,  as  we  celebrated  our  centennial  in  1805, 
we  should  celebrate  our  one  hundred  and  twenty-fifth  anniver- 
sary a  year  hence. 

Little  did  I  dream  when  I  came  in  sight  of  this  beautiful 
town,  with  its  broad  streets  and  so  much  of  Ijeauty  everywhere, 
that  so  much  of  my  life  was  to  be  spent  in  this  good  old  Berk- 
shire County.  Little  did  I  dream  that  this  Church,  which  I 
noted,  was  so  intimately  connected  with  an  Institution  in  which 
I  was  to  become  so  largely  interested.  How  shall  I  express  to 
you  the  sense  of  the  debt  of  gratitude  which  we  owe  for  these 
names — so  many  of  them,  which  are  down  in  our  catalogue  as 


112 

trustees  of  onr  College?  I  will  only  mention  Henry  Van 
Schaack.  He  was  an  Episcopalian  who  had  mnch  to  df>  with 
1)realcing  down  that  original  connection  between  the  town  and 
the  spread  of  the  Congregational  policy  of  which  we  heard  this 
afternoon.  I  also  may  cite  Dr.  Humphrey  who  was  also  a 
trustee  of  Williams  College.  You  know,  perhaps,  that  the 
birth  of  Amherst  College  was  not  altogether  a  matter  of  con- 
gratulation to  Williams.  You  may  know,  perhaps,  that  how- 
ever ready  Williams — as  a  matter  of  course — was  to  increase 
her  sons,  like  a  good  many  other  parents,  she  objected  to  more 
daughters. 

You  may  know  that  the  first  president  of  Amherst  College 
was  stolen  from  the  presidency  of  Williams.  I  will  not  say 
stolen,  because  I  believe  that  even  in  those  times  infants  were 
not  considered  capable  of  sinning.  I  will  not  say  that  in  a 
theological  sense,  that  was  strictly  a  theft,  and,  perhaps,  in  an 
etymological  sense  Amherst  College  was  not  an  infant,  at  least 
in  speaking,  for  she  called  very  loudly,  and  exercised  a  choice 
early  in  her  existence.  Perha])s  you  know  that  Dr.  Moore, 
who  left  the  presidency  of  Williams,  went  to  Andierst,  became 
president,  and  lived  only  two  years  after  he  went  there.  What 
the  mysterious  conditions  were  that  existed  I  will  not  say.  As 
to  his  death,  is  it  not  reasonable  to  suppose  that  he  was  worn 
out  takino'  care  of  that  abandoned  infant  durino;  the  first  two 
years  of  his  administration  ''. 

Then,  having  taken  Dr.  Moore,  they  took  the  pastor  of  this 
church,  Dr.  Humphrey,  wdio  was  trustee  of  Williams,  and  re- 
mained a  trustee  of  Williams  for  two  years  after  he  became 
president  of  Amherst.  I  don't  know  what  would  be  thought 
of  such  a  thing  now-a-days.  I  suppose  he  remained,  probably, 
in  the  desire  to  soften  the  heart  of  the  cruel  mother  toward  her 
vigorous  and  beautiful  though  abandoned  infant.  At  the  same 
time  there  are  those  who  have  wickedly  suspected  that  he  ex- 
j)ected  to  be  in  at  the  bedside  at  the  final  distribution,  and  carry 
off  the  tea-spoons  and  other  precious  things  to  Amherst.  Thank 
God,  these  antagonisms  have  passed !  Since  then  the  sons  of 
Amherst  and  Williams,  in  every  conflict,  have  stood  shoulder 
to  shoulder.     Wherever  men  have  been  placed  striking  for  the 


113 

progress  of  Immanity;  wherever  patient  hearts  have  beat  in 
union,  and  eager  eyes  have  been  watching  for  the  coming  of 
God's  kingdom,  the  sons  of  these  two  colleges  have  stood  to- 
gether for  the  j)rogress  of  everything  that  was  right.  What- 
ever superficial  relation  may  seem  to  be  strained,  down  under- 
neath— as  I  can  testify — their  aims  are  the  same,  and  the  true 
bonds  are  as  strong  as  life  itself  between  them.  Let  us  not  for- 
get Ilev.  Mr.  Bailey,  also  a  pastor  of  this  church,  a  trustee  of 
our  college  for  two  years,  and  the  Kev.  Mr.  Brinsmade,  who, 
for  eighteen  years  blessed  us  with  his  genial  goodness  and 
wisdom.  I  might  mention  Edward  Newton,  who  was  also  a 
tnistee  of  Williams  College.  All  the  Newton s,  if  you  begin 
with  Sir.  Isaac,  have  been  characterized  by  charity  of  mind. 
In  India,  Edward  was  a  friend  of  Reginald  Heber ;  had  he  lived 
in  England,  he  would  have  been  a  friend  of  William  Wilber- 
force.  These  names  liave  a  significance  in  this  anniversary.  It 
is  a  matter  of  deep  gratitude  that  we  can  congratulate  ourselves 
that  on  this  beautiful,  broad  plateau  religious  principles  are  so 
in  unison,  and  that  the  friendliness  between  denominations  will 
not  perish  in  this  or  any  other  generation  that  may  follow. 

Then  I  might  speak  of  Dr.  Todd,  wdio  was  wise  and  great 
and  enduring.  He  was  the  last  of  the  dynasty  of  "  prophet, 
priest,  and  king"  in  a  New  England  parish.  He,  for  twenty- 
seven  years,  went  up  to  Williams  College  to  participate  in. 
the  councils  of  its  governing  board. 

I  might  speak  of  Judge  Colt,  a  man  of  commanding  presence, 
whose  presence  inspired  respect  and  whose  words  deepened 
that  respect.  Although  his  power  never  came  into  the  admin- 
istration I  represent,  the  fruits  of  his  labors  I  am  nevertheless 
privileged  to  inherit.  I  will  say  that  the  succession  is  still 
maintained  in  the  person  of  that  gentleman  who  read  to-day 
that  extremely  interesting  paper  on  the  ''  Kelations  of  the  Parish 
to  the  Church,"  which  were  so  well  maintained  in  this  blessed 
town. 

We  may  not  see  Samuel  Hopkins  and  Steplien  West  in  their 
three-cornered  hats,  in  their  small-clothes,  in  their  silver- 
buckled  shoes,  and  bands  and  gowns,  but  their  noble  lives  re- 
main.    They  went  forth  from  the  southern  towns  to  establish 


114 

and  found  clmrclies,  to  ordain  ministers,  in  the  northern  dis- 
tricts. I  was  deeply  affected  by  reading  a  remark  of  the  late 
Rev.  Dr.  Orville  Dewey  at  the  Berkshire  Jnbilee.  He  said  he 
was  profoundly  impressed  by  tlie  reading  of  a  little  child,  but 
did  not  understand  what  the  child  was  reading  or  wdiy  he  was 
so  affected,  until  on  reflection  he  noticed  something  in  the  voice 
that  brought  before  him  the  beloved  Dr.  "West. 

Could  we,  my  friends,  catch  the  subtle  tones  and  qualities 
that  live  to-day  in  the  voices  of  the  descendants  of  these  great 
men ;  could  we  know  what  imperceptible  links  even  in  voice 
and  action  bind  us,  their  descendants,  to  them;  could  we  hear 
tlie  inaudible  whispers  of  encouragement  that  they  would  and 
do  utter,  should  w^e  not  be  profoundly  affected  ?  It  is  not  to- 
day a  single  voice,  but  a  chorus,  a  hallelujah  chorus,  that  we 
might  hear.  But  as  we  study  more  minutely  and  disentangle 
the  chords,  we  find  one  strain  higher  than  all  others ;  it  is  that 
of  their  dependence  upon  God.  We  will  not  forget  that  they 
had  their  struggles  and  like  us  needed  encouragement;  that 
they  had  every  day  all  that  they  could  bear. 

There  was  in  California,  a  few  years  since,  a  town  illumined 
by  the  electric  light.  A  group  of  burners  on  a  tall  mast  threw 
the  light  a  great  distance  in  every  direction  and  obviated  the 
necessity  of  any  widely  extended  system  of  posts  and  wires.  It 
has  seemed  to  me  that  that  brilliant  and  central  combustion 
might  not  inaptly  symbolize  the  old  central  church  in  the  New 
England  theocracy.  It  gathered  into  its  inner  circle  the  instruc- 
tion, the  reverence,  the  government  (^f  the  community,  and 
stood  majestic,  intense,  dominating  a  wide  area,  and  assuming 
to  direct  the  words  even  of  individuals  and  the  currents  of 
family  life.  For  that  age  of  few  and  simple  elements  and 
homogeneous  force-centers  it  was  a  successful  system.  But  the 
arc-light  does  not  answer  well  in  a  fog.  Even  a  brilliance  e(]ual 
to  two  thousand  candles  is  no  better  in  a  vapor  than  a  simple 
gas-jet.  The  latter  is  rich  in  those  red  rays  that  penetrate  a 
fog  without  being  absorbed,  but  the  arc  light  has  the  blue  rays 
that  are  so  easil}'  extinguished  by  mist.  The  brilliant  electric 
system  does  well  for  dry  air  and  starlit  skies.  That  old  Puri- 
tanic system  was  good  for  the  clear  ether  of  two  hundred  years 


115 

ago  ;  but  to-day  not  by  theocratic  dominion,  not  by  massive 
statements  of  doctrine,  not  by  the  minute  application  of  legality, 
not  by  a  Procrustean  machine  chopping  off  thought  and  words, 
but  by  patient  condescension,  by  the  gracious  gift  of  true  liber- 
ty, by  the  taper  carried  by  a  thousand  hands,  are  hearts  to  be 
reached,  the  dark  habitations  of  cruelty  to  be  transformed  into 
Christian  homes,  and  the  mists  and  vapors  of  scientific  specu- 
lation and  pretentious  Agnosticism  to  be  dispelled,  until  the  Sun 
of  llighteousness  arise  with  healing  in  his  wings.  Not  the  elec- 
tric light  of  the  New  England  theocracy,  but  the  loving  hand 
holding  the  candle  of  the  Lord  carried  by  the  patient  foot  to 
the  outcast  and  the  ignorant  is  the  emblem  of  the  less  im- 
posing, but  not  less  victorious  church  of  to-day. 


REMAKES  OF  DEACON  JAMES  FRANCIS 

Of  Fittsfield,  Mass. 

I  am  quite  sure  I  express  the  sentiments  of  this  whole  com- 
munity in  saying  that  we  are  under  new  obligations  to  this 
Church,  for  the  privilege  of  listening  to  the  interesting  papers 
and  addresses,  recalling  most  vividly  not  only  the  important 
events  in  its  history,  but  the  many  noble  men  and  women 
whose  lives  were  consecrated  on  this  altar. 

I  shall  confine  my  references  to  five  men,  all  farmers,  located 
two  and  a  half  miles  west  of  the  center,  in  what  was  then  called 
the  West  School  District. 

Running  from  this  north  was  the  road  leading  to  the  North 
West  District ;  on  one  of  these  corners  was  the  school-house  and 
on  the  other  my  father's  house. 

The  farms  were  in  a  cluster,  divided  only  by  the  road.  Sev- 
eral of  them  extended  back  to  Onota  Lake,  thus  encroaching 
upon  the  favorite  hunting-grounds  of  the  Indians.  The  names 
of  the  farmers  were  Captain  William  Francis,  from  Weathers- 
field  ;  Captain  Daniel  Sackett,  from  Westfield ;  Captain  John 
Churchill,  from  old  Plymouth;  Colonel  Oliver  Root,  from 
Westfield;  and  Deacon  James  Hubbard,  from  Westfield. 

Two  previous  efforts  had  been  made  to  settle  these  farms ; 


116 

one  from  the  east,  wliicli  was  frustrated  hy  the  Indians,  the 
other  by  the  Dutch,  from  the  state  of  New  York,  who  after  a 
time,  left,  saying  they  dare  not  risk  their  families  among  the 
Indians. 

Let  us  pause  a  moment,  and  look  at  the  husbands  and  wives 
who  made  the  first  real  settlement,  as  they  are  now  settled  npon 
their  forest  farms.  Every  farmer  who  hears  me  knows  that  it 
takes  one  generation  to  subdne  a  forest  farm.  Their  roads, 
their  bridges,  their  school-houses  are  all  yet  to  be  bnilt,  to  say 
nothing  of  their  meeting-honses.  Add  to  this  the  cares  of  the 
Indians,  and  recollect  that  as  military  officers  they  are  to  jiass 
throngh  two  wars,  viz.,  the  French  and  Indian  war,  and  the  war 
of  the  Revolution.  The  echo  of  a  musket  fired  on  a  hiu;h  rock 
near  one  of  their  dwellings  was  tlie  signal  for  them  to  march 
their  minute-men  to  the  front.  Several  of  these  men  were  at 
the  battle  of  Bennington,  and  three  or  four  of  them  at  the  sur- 
render of  Burgoyne's  arm}^,  at  Saratoga. 

As  was  said  by  one  of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers,  "  These  lives  of 
anxiety  and  toil  are  not  for  ourselves  alone,  but  for  tliose  who 
shall  come  after  us,"  so  might  these  men  have  said. 

It  is  profitable  for  us  often  to  recall  the  lives  of  these  fathers 
and  mothers  wdio  were  the  pioneers  of  the  present  generation, 
and  it  were  well  that  their  names  were  embalmed  in  our  mem- 
,  ories. 

Whence  came  our  beautiful  quiet  homes,  our  excellent 
churches,  these  schools,  and  these  splendid  libraries  ? 

These  five  men  and  women  were  fine  sj^ecimensof  humanit3% 
physically,  mentally,  and  morally,  and  would  have  been  so  re- 
garded in  any  age  or  community.  Sparta  in  all  her  best  days, 
with  all  her  boasting,  never  reared  ten  nobler  or  more  heroic 
men  and  women  than  they.  Three  of  these  men  were  over  six 
feet  in  height,  and  the  others  were  not  much  less.  Ca])tain 
William  Francis  was  called  Governor  Francis  until  the  day  of 
his  death.  I  never  knew  why.  Some  used  to  say  he  was  a 
born  leader  of  men ;  perhaps  that  was  it.  Synnnetrically 
built,  with  a  lion-like  tread,  and  a  countenance  that  no  Indian 
would  forget.  Colonel  Oliver  Root,  directly  across  the  road, 
was  six  feet  tall  and  heavier  built.     Second   in  connnand  of  a 


117 

regiment  near  the  Mohawk  valley,  attacked  by  a  superioi-  force 
of  French  and  Indians  in  ambush,  Colonel  Brown  already  shot 
down  by  his  side  with  many  of  the  men,  he  then  led  the  re- 
mainder of  the  regiment  to  a  block-house  not  far  away,  and 
there  defended  himself  against  the  enemy.  Colonel  Root  had 
six  boys,  each  six  feet  high,  and  it  used  to  be  })leasantly  said 
that  he  had  "  thirty-six  feet  of  l)oys !"  'No  weaklings  would 
have  settled  down  where  they  did  :  if  they  had  they  could  not 
have  staid  over  night.  The  Indians  al)out  them  were,  none  of 
them,  of  the  Stockbridge  trilje.  The  Stockbridge  Indians  were 
always  friendly.  Captain  William  Francis  once  said  to  me, 
"  When  I  had  purchased  this  farm  and  built  a  log-house,  there 
were  but  forty  men  in  town.  Coming  with  a  hired  man  from 
the  center  to  the  farm,  and  darkness  coming  on  before  we  had 
accomplished  all  we  desired,  I  decided  to  stay  over  night.  The 
log-house  was  strongly  built,  we  barricaded  the  door,  and  lay 
down  to  rest.  About  midnight  I  heard  Indians  around  the 
house.  I  listened,  hoping  to  learn  their  numl)er.  Awaking 
my  man,  I  told  him  we  must  be  ready  for  their  reception. 
They  continued  around  the  house  until  daylight,  when  we  re- 
moved the  barricade  from  the  door,  and  about  half  a  mile 
away  I  counted  nine  Indians.  A  short  time  before  an  Indian 
had  been  shot  near  the  lake,  and  his  friends  had  sworn  ven- 
geance. They  knew  there  were  but  two  of  us  within,  and 
probably  came  designing  to  break  in.  They  well  knew,  how- 
ever, there  would  be  less  live  Indians  to  count  in  the  morning 
if  they  did,  and  so  they  decided  not  to  make  the  attack." 

On  another  occasion  Mrs.  Hubbard,  the  wife  of  Deacon 
Hubbard,  found  herself  alone  in  her  house,  her  husband  beine- 
away.  On  entering  her  kitchen,  she  was  confronted  by  three 
Indians.  The  Indian  never  knocks ;  it  is  not  his  way.  Her 
first  thought  was  to  blow  the  tin  horn  hanging  upon  the  wall 
to  be  used  as  a  signal  if  anj'thing  is  wanted  at  the  house.  The 
next  instant  she  decided  differently — it  might  cost  her  her  life. 
The  Indians  called  for  food,  and  she  supplied  it,  and  whatever 
else  they  called  for,  if  she  had  it,  it  was  given  them.  She 
hoped  by  supplying  them  liberally  they  would  soon  leave,  but 
they  knew  they  should  not  be  interrupted,  and  were  not  in  a 


118 

liurry.  Finally  they  went  away.  These  Indians  knew  the 
men  too  well  to  dare  treat  their  families  with  cruelty  in  their 
absence.  Their  highest  ideal,  strength,  and  fearlessness  they 
had  seen  in  them. 

I  have  thus  quite  imperfectly  referred  to  some  of  the  sur- 
roundings of  these  settlers,  fair  specimens  of  the  solid  men  and 
women  who  so  early  laid  the  foundations  of  this  Church. 

My  father  one  day  announced  to  the  family  that  Deacon 
Hubbard  was  severely  sick,  and  that  the  doctor  thought  he 
would  not  recover.  He  then  added,  "Parson  Allen  visited  him 
yesterday,  and  standing  by  his  bed  and  taking  him  by  the 
hand  he  said,  'Deacon  Hulibard  you  must  live,  we  cannot 
spare  yon,'  and  then  kneeling  he  prayed  most  fervently  that 
God  would  spare  Deacon  Hubbard's  life,  for  the  Church's  sake, 
and  then  for  God's  sake ;  and  then,  after  a  solenm  pause,  he 
added  ancjther  prayer,  '  O  God  spare  Deacon  Hubbard's  life 
for  iny  sake  ! ' "  These  prayers  were  answered ;  Deacon  Hul)- 
bard  was  restored  to  liealth,  to  be  a  blessing  to  the  Church  and 
community  for  years. 


APPENDIX. 


Report  of  the  Celebration  of  the  125TH  Anniversary  of  the  First 
Church  of  Christ  in  Pittsfield. 


Most  of  the  reasons  which  called  for  and  led  to  the  somewhat  elaborate 
celebration  of  the  135th  anniversary  of  the  foundation  of  the  First  "  Church 
of  Christ"  in  Pittsfield,  will  be  readily  deduced  from  the  historical  address 
and  essays  printed  in  the  preceding  pages  of  this  volume  ;  and  it  will  even 
be  conceded  that  the  history  so  graphically  related  would  have  justified  a 
much  more  pretentious  demonstration.  As  it  was,  however,  little  was  left 
to  be  desired  except  a  larger  attendance  of  the  children  of  the  Church,  who 
are  found  iu  every  part  of  the  Union.  This  was  not  to  be  expected  in  the 
inclement  season  during  which  liistorical  truth  required  the  celebration  to 
be  held.  Still,  had  the  interest  which  attended  the  occasion  been  generally 
anticipated,  doubtless  more  would  have  braved  the  threatening  skies  to 
take  part  in  it.  As  it  is,  they  mu.st  be  content  with  the  printed  transcript, 
which — while  it  necessarily  lacks  the  magnetism  of  an  assemblage  bound  to- 
gether by  so  many,  so  entwining  and  so  far-reaching,  ties  as  those  which 
might  almost  be  said  to  have  given  one  soul  to  the  hundreds  who  gathered 
in  the  church  and  chapel  on  the  7th  of  February — still  cannot  fail  to  awaken 
a  kindred  thrill  in  the  hearts  of  those  readers  who  are  at  all  affiliated  with 
the  old  Church. 

The  immediate  origin  of  the  celebration  was  as  follows :  During  his  pas- 
torate of  the  Church  for  twelve  years.  Rev.  Mr.  Jenkins  had  become  pro- 
foundly impressed  with  its  grandly  historic  character.  Its  great  local  in- 
fluence was  apparent  enough  to  all,  both  before  and  after  it  represented  the 
religious  "  standing  order  "  in  the  Commonwealth  ;  but  it  was  also  the  mother 
of  churches  all  over  the  land,  and  those  who  could  not  be  strictly  classed  as 
its  daughters  had  been  greatly  strengthened  and  enriched  by  membership 
infused  from  the  First  Church  of  Christ  in  Pittsfield.  Still  more  notable — 
or  at  least  more  exceptional — was  the  infiuence  which  the  Church  exercised 
in  the  affairs  of  the  State  and  Nation  through  the  strong  men  who  have  been 
its  pastors  from  time  to  time,  and  other  strong  men,  who  found  inspiration 
in,  or  were  strengthened  in  their  convictions  and  efforts  by,  the  words  which 
came  from  its  pulpit  and  the  associations  within  its  borders.  No  one  familiar 
with  its  history  will  dispute  that,  from  the  days  of  Parson  Allen  down,  this 
Church  has  been  a  power  in  the  land,  although  it  never  exercised  that  power 
directly  in  its  corporate  capacity. 

There  was  also  in  its  traditions  much  of  the  quaint  and  curious  which  went 
to  illustrate  the  changing  traits  and  customs  of  successive  generations. 

In  the  year  1864,  the  hundredth  anniversary  of  the  settlement  of  the  first 
pastor  was  celebrated,  but  it  was  during  the  confusion  which  attended  the 


120 

closing  years  of  the  civil  war,  and  at  a  time  when  tliere  was  far  less  interest 
in  local  history  than  has  since  heen  awakened  ;  so  that  little  more  than  had 
previously  been  known  was  developed.  In  fact  the  interest  manifested  in 
tlie  occasion  was  far  less  than  its  importance  merited  or  that  wliich  it  would 
probably  have  excited  at  almost  any  other  time.  Rev.  Dr.  Todd,  at  the  close  of 
his  pastorate,  gave  an  interesting  but  cursory  history  of  the  Church  in  a 
brief  sermon  ;  but  it  was  not  possilile  for  him  to  make  any  prolonged  re- 
search or  to  enter  into  details.  Afterward  the  subject  was  more  systemati- 
cally and  thoroughly  pursued  in  connection  with  the  history  of  the  town. 
Nevertheless  it  was  apparent  that  much  yet  remained  to  be  discovered, 
which  might  throw  light  upon  the  history  and  clothe  the  dead  past  with 
new  life  ;  although  few  expected  the  flood  of  light  which  actually  came 
with  the  celebration. 

Rev.  Mr.  Jenkins,  therefore,  and  those  of  a  similar  experience  and  ob- 
servation with  whom  he  consulted,  deemed  it  advisable  that  there  should  be 
a  celebration,  upon  a  broad  scale,  of  the  125th  anniversary  of  the  founda- 
tion of  the  Church,  for  the  three-fold  purpose  of  doing  honor  to  the  memory 
of  the  fathers,  of  bringing  into  closer  relationship  those  who  had  succeeded 
or  were  descended  from  them,  and  to  obtain  and  preserve  memorials  of  its 
history  whether  of  record  or  derived  from  tradition. 

In  accordance  with  these  views  Mr.  Jenkins,  on  Sunday,  Nov.  11,  1888, 
briefly  called  tlie  attention  of  his  people  to  the  subject  and  requested  them 
to  meet  on  the  following  evening  to  consider  it.  This  meeting  was  not  very 
largely  attended,  but  those  who  did  attend  became  deeply  interested.  Rev. 
Mr.  Jenkins  presided,  and  Henry  A.  Brewster,  the  clerk  of  the  Church,  was 
secretary.  It  was  voted  that  the  anniversary  should  be  fittingly  observed 
and  the  following  general  committee  was  appointed  to  prepare  a  plan  :  Rev. 
J.  L.  Jenkins,  William  R.  Plunkett,  Robert  W.  Adam,  Miss  Anna  Todd 
Paddock,  Mrs.  James  H.  Hinsdale,  Miss  Elizabeth  D.  Davis,  Henry  A. 
Brewster. 

At  a  subsequent  meeting  it  was  determined  to  have  the  celebration  on  the 
7th  of  February,  1889,  the  exact  anniversary  of  the  organization  of  the 
Church,  although  it  fell  during  the  most  unfavorable  season  of  the  year  ; 
and  that,  extended  as  the  program  was,  it  should  be  carried  out  in  a  single 
day  within  the  walls  of  the  church  and  chapel.  Some  doubts  were  ex- 
pressed at  the  time  as  to  the  expediency  of  this  arrangement,  but  in  the  end 
it  proved  wise. 

What  the  plan  of  the  occasion  was  is  indicated  by  the  titles  of  the  sub- 
committees which  were  appointed  as  follows  : 

ON   FINANCES. 

John  R.  Warriner,  Edward  S.  Francis,  Alexander  Kennedy,  Charles  At- 
water,  Solomon  N.  Russell,  James  W.  Hull,  Frank  W.  Dutton. 

ON   HISTORICAL   PAPERS. 

It  was  voted  to  collect  all  possible  information  regarding  the  early  history 
of  the  Church,  and  the  following  conmiittee  upon  historical  papers  was  ap- 
pointed :    Henry  W.   Taft,   Rev.   J.   L.   Jenkins,   R.  W.  Adam,  James  M. 


121 

Barker,  E.  T.  Slocum,  William  L.  Adam,  H.  A.  Brewster,  Mrs.  Ensign  H. 
Kellogg,  Miss  S.  W.  Humphrey. 

ON   INVITATIONS. 

Rev.  J.  L.  Jenkins,  John  C.  West,  George  N.  Diitton,  Mrs.  Thos.  P.  Pin- 
gree,  Mrs.  David  A.  Clary,  Mrs.  F.  A.  Paddock,  Miss  Maria  Warriuer, 
Miss  Martha  A.  Peck,  Miss  Fanny  Colt,  Miss  Abby  M.  Campbell,  William 
R.  Plunkett,  Secretary. 

ON    ENTERTAINMENT   OP   INVITED   GUESTS. 

Jabez  L.  Peck,  .Tolm  T.  Power,  Dr.  Henry  Colt,  James  H.  Hinsdale,  Miss 
Mary  G.   Cooley,  Mrs.   George  W.  Campbell. 

ON   RECEPTIONS. 

William  R.  Plunkett,  Chairman  ;  Arthur  A.  Mills,  H.  W.  Partridge, 
Mrs.  J.  T.  Power,  Mrs.  John  F.  Allen,  Mrs.  Hiram  B.  Wellington,  Miss 
Catherine  Pingree,  Mrs.  James  H.  Hin.sdale,  Miss  E.  D.  Davis. 

ON  PREPARATION  OF  THE  CHURCH  AND  CHAPEL,  AND  USHERING. 

I.  F.  Chesley,  Chairman  ;  Silas  H.  Pomeroy,  James  Wilson,  Mrs.  Charles 
Atwater,  Miss  C.  Tucker,  Miss  E.  G.  Colt. 

ON    MUSIC. 

Prof.  A.  M.  Fletcher  and  Rev.  J.  L.  Jenkins. 

All  these  committees  served  with  zeal,  fidelity  and  good  judgment ;  and 
received  cordial  and  valuable  aid  from  without;  the  most  important  ones  at 
least  achieving  success  far  beyond  what  there  was  any  reason  to  expect  when 
the  observance  of  the  anniversary  was  first  determined  upon.  In  what  di- 
rection this  success  lay  will  appear  in  our  brief  account  of  the  day. 

THE   PRELIMINARY   EXERCISES. 

Although  the  celebration  proper  was,  according  to  the  program,  confined 
to  Thursday,  the  seventh  of  February,  exercises  closely  akin  to  it  naturally 
took  place  on  the  preceding  Sunday.  Indeed  they  were  so  closely  allied  to 
it  that  to  omit  mention  of  them  here  would  leave  the  account  of  it  altogether 
incomplete.  The  Pastor,  prefatory  to  his  historical  address  whicli  was  to 
come  on  the  morning  of  the  7th,  preached  an  eloquent  sermon  upon  the 
character  of  the  early  church.  In  the  evening  there  was  a  praise  service 
under  the  direction  of  the  organist  and  chorister,  Prof.  Fletcher,  at  which 
hymns  and  anthems  were  sung  that  were  used  by  the  church  more  than  a 
hundred  years  ago.  Among  them  -'The  Dying  Christian,"  by  Pope; 
"  Arise,  Shine,"  by  Rev.  Edward  Coon  ;  "  Send  Out  Thy  Light,"  by  Gou- 
nod ;  "  Ye  shall  dwell  in  the  Land,"  by  Stainer ;  "  Sound  the  loud  timbrel," 
by  Avison.  "  There  were  also,"  says  a  competent  reporter,  "  several  hymns 
taken  from  an  edition  of  '  Watts'  Psalms,'  published  in  Boston  in  1766,  which 
was  the  first  hymn-book  used  by  the  Church.  The  only  copy  to  be  found 
belonged  to  John  Partridge,  one  of  the  first  choristers  of  the  Church,  and  it 
bears  his  name,  dated  1767.  It  contains  on  tlie  fly-leaf  a  list  of  tunes  used 
with  the  hymns  in  the  hand  writing  of  a  brother  of  the  owner,  William 
Partridge,  who  was  grandfather  of  H.  W.  Partridge,  who  is  now  one  of  the 


122 

deacons  of  the  Church.  The  choir  and  congregation  sang  several  of  tliese 
liymns  which  were  taken  from  the  old  book  and  printed  in  a  pamphlet. 
Some  of  those  sung  were  :  '  Denmark,'  '  The  Infant  Savior,'  by  Knapp, 
written  in  1698;  'Greenwich,'  by  Read,  1757;  'Rainbow,'  author  un- 
known ;  '  Norwich,' author  unknown  ;  '  Russia,'  by  Read,  1757  ;  '  Ocean,' 
l)y  Swan,  Psalm  100,  by  William  France,  1543  ;  Psalm  78,  by  Tanser.  The 
words  of  the  hymn,  Greenwich,  are  given  below  : 

Lord,  what  a  thoughtless  wretcli  was  I, 

To  mourn  and  murmur  and  I'epine. 
To  see  the  wicked  placed  on  high, 

In  pride  and  robes  of  honour  shine. 

But,  O,  their  end,  their  dreadful  end. 

Thy  sanctuary  taught  me  so, 
On  slipp'ry  rocks  I  see  them  stand, 

And  fi'ry  billows  roll  below. 

Now  let  them  boast  how  tall  they  rise, 

I'll  never  envy  them  asain. 
There  they  may  stand  wltli  hautfhty  eyes. 

Till  they  plunge  deep  in  endless  pain. 

Their  fancy'd  joys  how  fast  they  flee  ! 

Just  like  a  dream  when  man  awakes. 
Their  songs  of  softest  harmony 

Are  but  a  preface  to  their  plagues. 

Now  I  esteem  their  mirth  and  wine 

Too  dear  to  purchase  with  ray  blood. 
Lord,  'tis  enough  that  thou  art  mine 

My  life,  my  portion  and  my  God. 

This  represents  as  well  as  any  in  the  list  of  selections  the  Puritanical  idea 
of  standing  on  '  slippery  places.' " 

Many  connected  with  other  churches  in  town — especially  older  citizens — 
came  in  to  enjoy  the  quaint  music  :  and  reminiscences  of  old  choristers,  from 
the  days  of  Solomon  Warriner  and  Col.  Asa  Barr  down,  were  indulged  in. 
One  of  the  most  strikingly  illustrative,  however,  was  not  told  there  but  came 
in  a  letter  which  contained  the  following  :  "  It  does  not  seem  much  less  than 
a  hundred  years  ago  since  Col.  Barr  clianted  to  the  music  of  bass  viol  and 
violin  the  Lord's  Prayer.  I  well  remember  that  on  tliat  occasion  my  vener- 
ated grandmother,  her  big  grey  eyes  ablaze  with  holy  wrath,  dropped  into 
her  seat  in  the  family  pew  exclaiming,  "  Have  I  lived  to  hear  the  Lord's 
prayer  fiddled  in  this  Congregational  Church  !  " 

Like  all  the  exercises  of  the  celebration  this  Praise  Meeting  constantly  sug- 
gested the  great  contrasts  between  the  past  and  the  present,  while  at  the 
same  time  it  seemed  to  bring  the  past  startlingly  near  to  us. 

THE   ANNIVERSARY. 

FEB.  7,  1764— FEB.  7.  1889. 

The  celebration  proper  began  appropriately  at  10  o'clock  on  the  morning 
of  Thursday  with  the  Holy  Communion,  in  wliieh  most  of  the  members  of 
the  Church,  and  many  others  who  were  entitled  to  participate,  joined  ;  with 
what  emotions  amid  such  surroundings  may  well  be  imagined.  Deacons 
Robinson,  Peirson,  Shipton  and  Rice  of  the  Soutli  Church  and  Deacons 
Taft  and  Partridge  of  the  First  Church  officiated. 

The  peculiar  interior  architecture  of  the  church  renders  extraneous  oc- 


123 

casioiiul  decoration  to  any  marked  extent  out  of  jjlace,  but  gives  the  best 
effect  to  sucli  simple  displays  as  indicated  on  this  occasion  what  its  nature 
was;  but  even  here  came  another  contrast  between  the  past  and  the  pres- 
ent, which  show  emphatically  the  great  amelioration  of  thought  and  feeling 
in  the  church  as  well  as  the  world  during  the  last  century  ;  indeed,  in  view 
of  some  local  incidents,  we  might  well  say  within  the  last  half  century. 
The  masses  of  palms  and  other  tropical  plants,  relieved  here  and  there 
by  costly  exotic  flowers,  which  covered  the  vicinity  of  the  pulpit,  the  com- 
munion table,  and  the  organ,  were  widely  different  from  the  fragrant  herbs, 
which  less  than  a  hundred  years  ago  were  considered  everything  of  the  kmd 
which  was  proper  for  tlie  house  of  the  God  whose  flowers  are  silent 
preachers.  About  the  pulpit  were  placed  bronze  tablets  bearing  the  names 
of  all  the  pastors  who  have  ministered  to  the  church  :  Thomas  Allen,  Wil- 
liam Allen,  Thomas  Punderson,  Heman  Humphrey,  Rufus  W.  Bailey, 
Henry  Tappan,  John  W.  Yeomans,  Horatio  N.  Brinsmade,  John  Todd,  Ed- 
ward O.  Bartlett,  Jonathan  L.  Jenkins. 

In  front  of  the  galleries  were  oaken  shields,  bearing  the  names  of  Stephen 
Crofoot,  Ephraim  Stiles,  Daniel  Hubbard,  Aaron  Baker,  Jacob  Ensign, 
William  Phelps,  Lemuel  Phelps,  Elnathan  Phelps  ;  the  "foundation  men" 
who  were  organized  as  the  nucleus  of  the  present  Church,  P^'eb.  7,  1764. 

This  was  all  the  extraneous  ornamentation,  except  the  dates  1754  in  white 
and  1889  in  green  on  the  front  of  the  rear  gallery  ;  and  it  was  enough,  for  it 
was  full  of  grand  memories. 

At  10.30  A.  M.  the  pastor  took  his  seat  in  the  pulpit  and  continued  to  pre. 
.side  through  all  the  exercises  of  the  day  and  evening  with  the  grace  and 
spirit  which  was  to  be  expected  from  the  enthusiastic  intei'est  which  he  took 
in  the  occasion. 

The  choir  opened  with  the  jubilant  anthem,  "Joy,  for  the  Night  is  Gone," 
thirty  voices,  under  the  lead  of  Prof.  Fletcher,  joining  in  it.  Rev.  Prof. 
George  E.  Day  of  Yale  College,  a  native  of  this  town  and  a  son  of  the 
Church,  read  the  84th  Psalm  and  offered  prayer,  evidently  with  much  emo- 
tiou.     The  choir  sang  "  Heavenly  Father,  graciously  hear  us  ! " 

The  historical  address  of  Rev.  Dr.  Jenkins  followed.  Printed  in  full  in 
the  preceding  pages,  it  speaks  for  itself,  and  needs  no  characterization  here, 
but  as  the  work  of  a  man  who  dearly  loved  his  theme  and  spared  no  pains  to 
do  it  justice. 

The  morning  services  closed  at  12.30  p.  m.,  and  the  great  congregation  re- 
paired to  the  chapel,  where  a  portrait-gallery  of  past  worshippers  in  tlie 
Church  had  been  collected,  which  was,  for  the  day  at  least,  equal  in  its  at- 
tractiveness to  almost  any  other  feature  of  the  occasion  ;  but  it  was  a  little 
aside  from  the  general  line  of  the  celebration,  and  we  pass  it  for  the  present 
in  order  to  do  better  justice  to  it  in  its  own  place. 

AFTERNOON    EXERCISES. 

A  very  large  audience  attended  the  afternoon  exercises,  which  commenced 
at  2  o'clock.  Pastor  Jenkins  happily  introduced  Rev.  Dr.  Danker  to  repre- 
sent St.  Stephen's  parish  and  the  absent  Rector,  Rev.  W.  W.  Newton,  of 
whom  Mr.  Jenkins  said,  "  I  know  he  is  with  us  in  spirit  though  absent  in 


124 

body."  Dr.  Danker  brought  the  formtil  cotigratuhitiuns  of  St.  Stepheu's, 
approved  by  the  wardens  and  vestry,  and  he  gave  his  message  in  very  fitting, 
eloquent,  hearty  words.  This  was  a  very  pleasing  recognition  of  the  pleas- 
ant relations  which  have  so  long  existed  between  these  neighbor  churches, 
and  reminded  some  of  the  older  persons  present  of  the  time  when  the  St. 
Stephen's  Church,  recently  demolished,  was  being  remodeled  and  the  First 
Congregational  parish  freely  loaned  its  chapel  for  the  Episcopal  services,  and 
received  in  return  the  gift  of  a  superb  pulpit  Bible. 

The  reading  of  the  historical  papers  printed  in  the  body  of  this  volume 
was  then  begun,  and  continued  at  the 

EVENING    MEETING. 

Some  of  these  historical  papers  were  from  the  nature  of  the  sub- 
jects more  entertaining  than  others,  but  all  had  an  essential  bearing  upon 
important  points  in  the  history  of  the  Church,  and  some — especially  those 
most  dry  in  detail — goto  explain  its  present  status  and  that  of  the  parish,  and 
the  reasons  for  it. 

The  formal  papers  were  .supplemented  by  addresses  of  which  a  phono- 
graphic report  is  printed,  which  will  be  found  also  full  of  historic  interest  as 
well  as  of  genial  feeling  and  reverence  for  the  grand  past  of  the  old  Church. 

The  committee  on  invitations  received  more  than  a  hundred  and  fifty  let- 
ters, varying  from  a  .simple  expression  of  regret  for  inability  to  attend  up  to 
an  historical  essay  which  would  cover  pages.  They  .show  how  widely  scat- 
tered are  the  children  of  the  Church,  and  how  enduring  is  their  pride  in  and 
regard  for  it.  They  will  be  carefully  preserved  in  the  archives  and  when- 
ever the  time  shall  come  for  a  more  formal  history  will  afford  much  mater- 
ial for  it. 

In  an  historical  point  of  view  the  celebration  accomplished  more  than  was 
expected  of  it.  The  industrious  research  of  the  writers  of  the  historical 
jjapers  was  amply  rewarded,  while  from  odd  nooks  in  family  traditions  half 
forgotten  facts  and  spicy  anecdotes  were  drawn  out,  and  some  obscure 
points  in  parochial  annals  elucidated.  It  is  much  that  these  have  been 
placed  in  such  form  that  they  are  not  likely  again  to  lapse  into  oblivion. 

THE   MEMORIAL   PORTRAIT-GALLERY. 

A  few  weeks  before  the  celebration,  some  one  conceived  the  novel  and 
happy  idea  of  collecting  as  many  as  possible  of  the  portraits  of  the  men 
and  women  who  had  from  time  to  time  been  members  of  the  Church  or  who 
had  worshipped  with  it  in  its  several  meeting-houses.  The  proposition  was 
eagerly  adopted.  Requests  were  sent  to  the  families  likely  to  have  the  de- 
sired pictures,  and  also  published  in  the  local  newspapers.  Brief  as  the 
interval  was,  the  response  was  such  as  to  render  the  memorial  gallery  the 
most  unique  feature  of  the  anniversary,  and  one  of  the  most  exciting.  Over 
one  hundred  portraits  were  contributed  and  hung  upon  the  walls  of  the 
chapel,  varying  from  the  costly  miniature  of  the  era  of  Parson  Allen  and 
the  cheaper  small  photograph  of  later  days,  to  the  life-size  portraits,  of  va- 
rying merit  as  works  of  art,  which  illustrated  all  the  periods  of  the  Chui-ch 
history. 


125 

Many  of  the  subjects  of  these  portraits  had  been  for  years  spirit-stirring 
members  of  the  Church  ;  not  a  few  of  them  to  such  an  extent  tliat  they 
builded  large  portions  of  their  own  lives  into  it,  so  that  they  seem  still  living 
stones  in  its  walls.  Others,  as  well  as  some  of  these,  were  so  zealous  and 
generous  in  parochial  affairs,  that  no  difficult  or  costly  parochial  work  can 
be  mentioned  without  bringing  their  names  to  memory.  Some  had  been 
for  years  quiet  but  reverent  worshippers  ;  performing  to  the  letter  such 
duties  as  they  deemed  to  be  required  of  them  by  religion  and  society.  Some 
were  but  briefly  connected  with  the  parish.  Others,  who  received  the  rudi- 
ments of  religious  education  in  this  Church,  afterward  carried  out  their  les- 
.sons  in  the  different  denominations  into  which  the  growing  town  came  to  be 
divided.  But  more  than  one  instance  in  the  present  festival  went  to  prove 
that  filial  regard  for  the  old  church  is  not  inconsistent  with  loyal  allegiance 
to  newer  bonds  any  more  than  filial  affection  for  parents  weakens  the  closer 
relations  of  husband  and  wife. 

All  the  portraits  were  of  men  and  women  whose  earthly  life  is  ended, 
while  the  fioor  of  the  chapel  was  crowded  at  such  times  as  it  was  open,  with 
successive  throngs  of  their  descendants  or  successors ;  so  that  there  was  seen 
what  may  not  improperly  be  called  a  great,  and  in  no  small  degree  a  liomo- 
genous,  congregation,  composed  of  many  generations  all  inspired  with  life  ; 
for  if  the  painted  lips  were  silent,  those  who  listened  to  the  animated  and 
thoughtful  conversation  of  the  living,  could  not  but  recognize  that  it  faith- 
fully interpreted  what  those  lips  would  have  uttered  had  they,  by  some 
mirac'e,  been  unsealed.  The  portraits  themselves  had  unsealed  the  foun- 
tains of  many  memories  which  do  not  often  flow  so  freel3^  It  was  perhaps 
as  much  by  the  reminiscences,  comments,  discussions  and  exi3ressions  of 
feeling  which  the  memorial  gallery  called  forth  as  by  its  exhibition  of  pic- 
tures that  it  was  rendered  so  satisfactory  a  portion  of  the  celebration  ;  l)ut, 
of  course  the  one  could  not  have  been  produced  without  the  other ;  the 
effect  without  the  cause. 

There  was  some  effort  to  arrange  the  portraits  in  family  or  other  groups  ; 
circumstances  rendered  success  in  this  so  imperfect  that  we  do  not  attempt 
to  follow  it.  except  in  a  .single  instance. 

On  the  east  wall  of  the  room  was  in  conspicuous  black  letters  the  text  : 
"They  rest  from  their  labors  and  their  icorks  do  follow  them." 

Below  this  motto  was  the  clerical  group  of  portraits  representing  the  first 
pastor,  Rev.  Thomas  Allen  ;  his  son  and  successor,  Rev.  William  Allen, 
D.  D.;  Rev.  Dr.'Heman  Humphrey,  the  great  pacificator  ;  Rev.  Henry  P. 
Tappan,  Rev.  Dr.  John  Todd,  and  Rev.  Dr.  Stephen  West,  of  Stockbridge, 
one  of  the  clergymen  who  took  part  in  the  organization  of  the  Pittsfield 
Church,  Rev.  Joab  Brace,  D.  D..  the  father-in-law  of  Rev.  Dr.  Todd. 

The  portrait  of  Parson  Allen  does  not  at  all  give  one's  preconceived 
idea  of  him  as  the  .stern,  uncompromising,  combative,  Revolutionary 
leader  and  hero.  He  appears  here  rather  as  the  man  of  scholar)}^  and  refined 
thought,  and  of  a  gentle  manner.  And  such,  a  lady  who  remembered  him 
well  in  his  later  years,  when  she  was  a  child,  described  him  a  few  years  ago  : 
a  man  of  tall  and  graceful  figure,  very  benignant  in  his  aspect  to  children. 


126 

of  extreme  politeness  to  till,  with  a  elear  complexioued  well  shaven  face, 
and  a  beaming,  kindly  eye  as  it  appeared  to  her  young  view,  although  it 
doubtless  showed  determination  enough  in  the  many  circumstances  under 
which  the  utmost  determination  was  required  of  Berkshire's  Revolutionary 
leader.  His  is  not  the  first  instance  in  which  lenderaess  and  stern  devotion 
to  right  have  been  combined  in  the  same  heart. 

The  portrait  of  Rev.  Dr.  Allen,  near  the  end  of  his  life,  if  correctly 
drawn— in  this  case  it  was  an  engraving — would  be  remarkable.  His  life 
had  been  contentious  as  well  as  scliolarly,  in  an  eminent  degree  ;  but  when 
he  appeared  in  Tremont  Temple,  at  Bbston,  with  other  gentlemen  who  had 
visited  Europe  as  delegates  from  the  American  Peace  Society  to  the  Courts 
of  Europe,  he  was  pronounced  the  most  grandly  venerable  looking  man  in 
New  England,  although  his  mass  of  snow  white  hair  fell  over  features 
which  showed  no  signs  of  physical  weakness. 

Rev.  Dr.  Humphrey  had  a  noble  face  for  a  portrait,  full  of  lines  every 
one  of  which  was  the  record  of  deep  thought  and  energetic  conflict.  They 
liad  been  traced  deeply,  not  so  nuieh  by  the  hand  of  time  as  by  the  mind 
which  lay  behind  them.  Rev.  Dr.  Todd's  portrait  is  also  full  of  character  ; 
but,  although  doubtless  moditied  by  the  experience  of  a  not  altogether  rest- 
ful life,  the  lines  there  seem  to  have  been  those  originally  impressed  by  na- 
ture, whom  he  rather  followed  than  resisted. 

Strictly  speaking,  the  portrait  of  Rev.  Dr.  Samuel  Hopkins,  the  first 
pastor  of  Great  Barrington,  should  have  been  in  this  group,  as  he  wrote  the 
creed  and  covenant  under  profession  of  whicli  the  Pittsfield  Church  was  or- 
ganized, and  preached  the  sermon  on  the  occasion  ;  but  it  was,  for  some 
reason,  placed  in  another  part  of  the  room.  Dr.  Hopkins  was  the  first 
great  American  opponent  and  denouncer  of  slaver}-,  he  was  the  originator 
of  the  Stockbridge  Indian  Mission,  and  the  hero  of  Mrs.  Harriet  Beecher 
Stowe's  novel,  "The  Minister's  Wooing  ;"  but  it  is  more  to  our  present 
purpose  to  know  that  he  was  the  author  of  a  new  system  of  theology — The 
Hopkinsonian — some  traces  of  which  he  doubtless  left  in  the  fundamental 
constitution  of  the  churches  of  Pittsfield,  Lee  and  Lenox,  which  were  nearly, 
if  not  quite,  identical  in  their  tenor.  The  portrait  of  Dr.  Hopkins,  a  rather 
peculiar  one,  was  surrounded  by  intelligent  observers  during  the  exhibition; 
but  more  interest  would  have  been  taken  in  it,  if  these  facts  had  been  more 
generally  known. 

We  give  below  a  catalogue  as  nearly  complete  as  we  can  make  it,  of  those 
whose  portraits  were  contributed,  with  the  dates  of  their  birth  and  death. 
In  some  instances  we  should  have  been  glad  to  give  some  other  facts,  but 
find  it  quite  impracticable. 

BORN.  DIED. 

Abigail  S.  Bacon 1775  1861 

Ezekiel  Bacon 1776  1870 

William  J.  Hawkins 1836  1878 

JabezPeck, 1781  1867 

George  Brown 1807  1874 

Fanny  S.  Pomeroy 1814  1851 

Mary  Kilbourn,  (Mrs.  Henry  Clinton  Brown,) 1788  1876 


12Y 

Elijah  Peck, 1790"  1879 

Solomon  Wilson, 1819  1882 

John  C.  Parker, 1822  1881 

Ensign  H.  Kellogg, 1812  1882 

Eliza  Taylor, 1805  1883 

Miss  Sophia  Churchill  Parker 1792  1872 

Linus  Parker, 1790  1872 

Elizabeth  Granger, 1785  1888 

Clara  Wells,   1820  1873 

Mary  Dewey  Foot, 1833  1873 

Henry  Hubbard, 1783  1863 

Erastus  Dewey 1789  1865 

Samuel  Root, 1769  1856 

Mrs.  Curtis  T.  Fenn,    1798  1878 

James  Ginn, 1802  1885 

Mrs.  Mary  F.  Ginn, 1804  1882 

Matilda  M.  Dewey, 1795  1865 

Mrs.  Oliver  P.  Dickinson 1766  1847 

Mrs.  John  Chandler  Williams,.  (Lucretia.) 1753  1834 

Gen.  Nathan  Willis, 1763  1851 

Mrs.  Lucy  Willis 1774  1860 

Solomon  L.  Russell, 1791  1882 

Mrs.  S.  William  Russell, 

Austin  W.  Kellogg 1820  1885 

James  D.  Colt,  2d, 1768  1856 

James  D.  Colt,  3d, 1797  1822 

James  D.  Colt,  4th, 1819  1881 

Henry  Colt, 1812  1888 

Sarah  Root  Colt, 1771  1865 

Ezekiel  Root  Colt, 1794  1860 

Thomas  Colt 1823  1876 

Electa  Campbell  Colt 1793  1875 

Lucy  Latlin  Campl)ell, 1763  1852 

Mrs.  Robert  Colt, 1815  1876 

George  Campbell 1811  1878 

Matilda  Jenkins  Campbell, 1814  1882 

Nannie  Campbell  Harding, 1839  1874 

Jason  Clapp, 1782  1868 

Edwin  C;iapp, 1809  1884 

Elizabeth  Campl)ell  Clapp, 1796  1881 

Thaddeus  Clapp, 1792  1865 

Richard  Colt  Cogswell, 1787  1861 

Electa  Lawrence  Cogswell 1785  1861 

Mary  Stiies, 1777  1845 

Mrs.  Mary  S.  Manning,   1824  1886 

William  Hubbard 1801  1868 

Mary  Warner  Hubbard, 1807  1887 


128 


John  Dickinson, 1769  1855 

Hannali  Fairfield 1768  1856 

John  Partridge 1804  1870 

Dr.  Oliver  S.  Root, 1799  1870 

Electa  Goodrich,   1794  1888 

James  Francis, 1797  1885 

Jacob  Phelps, 1780 

Eleanor  Phelps, 1774 

Charlotte  M.  Francis  Churchill, 1805  1883 

Charles  Churchill 1796  1881 

Jesse  Goodrich, 

Mrs.  Mercy  Partridge  Whitney 179:i  1872 

Chester  Hemenway 1809  1887 

Mrs.  John  Partridge, 1815  1875 

William  B.  Cooley, 1800  1870 

Dr.  Charles  Drake  Mills, 1827  1878 

Graham  A.  Root 1820  1880 

Dr.  Oliver  E.  Brewster, 1816  1866 

Dr.  John  M.  Brewster, 1789  1869 

Mary  Hull, 1840  1857 

Abel  West, 1780  1871 

Thomas  Barnard  Strong 1780  1863 

Matilda  Thompson.  (Mrs.  Abel  West,) 1782  1866 

Levi  Goodrich,  (2  pictures) 1785  1868 

Mrs.  Josiah  Goodrich, 1752 

Lucinda  Dickinson  Strong 1786  1888 

Mrs.  Jared  Ingersoll, 1789  1851 

Jared  Ingersoll 1786  1871 

Phillips  Merrill, 1790  1873 

Frances  A.  Stanton  Merrill, 1794  1867 

Capt.  Hosea  Merrill 1761  1853 

Sarah  Phillips 1763  1850 

Nancy  Hinsdale, 1769  1851 

Thomas  F.  Plunkett, 1804  1875 

Henry  Root, 1784  1863 

Clarissa  Bagg 

Washington  Root, 1820  1884 

Thankful  Root 1785  1865 

Julius  Rockwell 1804  1888 

Calvin  Martin, 1787  1867 

James  Buel, 1784  1874 

Mrs.  Hannah  Clark, 1772  1856 

S.  L.  Russell, 1791  1882 

Mrs.  Agnes  Center  Buel, 1784  1864 

Major  Butler  Goodrich 1768  1863 

Jabez  W.  Fairbanks 1804  1872 

Mrs.  Julia  Brattle  Bnrbank, 1798  1888 


129 

Mrs.  Maria  Brattle  Clark, 18S0  1887 

Charles  Hulbert 1824  1873 

Curtis  T.  Fenn 1792  1871 

Thomas  Taylor 1792  1875 

Dr.  Henry  H.  Childs, 1783  1868 

Phinchas  Alleu, 1776  1868 

Henry  Chickerins, 1819  1881 

Capt.  F.  W.  Pease, 1822  1864 

Samuel  D.  Colt, 1779  1853 

Lucy  B.  Colt,   1777  1850       • 

Zeno  Russell 1834  1881 

Jonathan  Allen, 1773  1845 

Mrs.  Eunice  Williams  Larncd, 1792  1868 

Mrs.  Elizabeth  White 1775  1798 

Thomas  Allen, 1813  1887 

Rev.  Dr.  Brace, 1777  1857 

Mrs.  Heman  Ilumplirey 1785  1868 

Lemuel  Pomeroy 1775  1849 

Mrs.  Lemuel  Pomeroy.  (Hart,) 1780  1853 

Tlieo.  Pomeroy, 1813  1881 

Phinehas  Allen,  2(1 1807  1872 

Robert  Colt, 1807  1864 

KKI,ICS   OP   THE   PAST. 

In  addition  to  the  portraits,  there  were  in  the  chapel  several  interesting 
relics  of  the  old  time.  There  were  a  score  of  chairs  in  which  once  sat 
men  and  women  now  held  in  reverential  memorj^  ;  among  them  one 
which  stood  in  one  of  the  old  scpiare  pews  in  1808  :  a  style  of  pews  which 
prevailed  long  after  that  date.  There  was  the  wreck*  of  an  old  bass 
viol  which  was  played  in  1836  by  Daniel  Merriam,  when  the  opponents  of 
innovation  in  the  music  of  public  worship  nick-named  it,  "The  Lord's  big 
fiddle."  There  was  a  fragment  of  the  carpet  upon  which  LaPayette  stood 
on  the  15th  of  June,  1825,  when  in  the  old  church, — now  Maplewood  Gym- 
nasium.— he  was  received  by  the  authorities  and  people  of  Berkshire,  and 
said  some  very  handsome  things  in  return,  especially  in  regard  to  the  beauty 
of  Pittsfield  women  ;  which  it  was  very  much  like  the  gallant  Frenchman 
to  say. 

But  the  relic  most  closely  connected  with  the  occasion  and  also  otherwise 
of  great  value,  was  the  carved  oaken  chest  once  the  property  of  Deacon 
Daniel  Hubbard,  one  of  the  "foundation  men"  of  the  church.  It  was 
brought  from  England  by  one  of  his  ancestors.  He,  himself,  brought  it  to 
Pittsfield,  and  during  the  last  French  and  Indian  war — 1754-1761 — it  was 
often  filled  with  the  family  valuables,  and  deposited  in  one  of  the  four 
Pittsfield  forts.  This  fort  stood  on  what  is  now  the  Buckingham  place,  on 
the  southwest  .shore  of  Lake  Onota,  and  was  very  near  to  Deacon  Hubbard's 
"home-lot"  or  farm.  The  chest  has  ever  since  continued  in  the  family,  be- 
ing now  the  property  of  Deacon  Hubbard's  grand-daughters  in  the  sixth 
generation,  Mrs.  C.  E.  Burfitt,  and  the  Misses  C.  W.  and  Leila  Bull,  of  Pitts- 


130 

field.  The  ITul)bard  family  Bible  is  still  preserved,  and  it  was  lioped  to 
have  it  for  the  memorial  collection,  but  it  did  not  arrive  in  season.  This 
exhibit  and  the  presence  of  its  owners,  perhaps  brouglit  tliose  who  wit- 
nessed it  nearer  to  the  foundation  of  the  Church  than  any  other.  The  near- 
est living  descendant  of  any  of  the  foundation  members  i.s,  however.  Miss 
Amanda  Baker,  the  grand-daughter  of  Aaron  Baker,  who  resides  on  the 
homestead  in  Barkersville. 

Amid  surroundings  such  as  we  have  attempted  above  to  describe,  or  to 
give  some  faint  idea  of,  the  ladies  of  tlie  Church,  on  the  evening  of  the  7th 
invited  their  friends  to  an  entertainment  in  which  food  for  the  palate  was  as 
abundant  and  tempting  as  was  that  for  conversation.  At  tlie  request  of 
many  wiio,  in  the  hurried  hours  of  anniversary  day,  could  not  find  time  to 
study  and  muse  over  the  memorial  exhibition  as  they  desired,  it  was  con- 
tinued through  Friday. 

And  thus  closed  an  anniversary  observance,  which  it  is  hoped  will  take 
honorable  rank  among  the  many  which,  after  furnishing  days  of  rare  ra- 
tional pleasure  to  thousands,  have  contributed  largely  toward  develoijing . 
and  making  more  widelj^  known  what  is  great  and  good  in  the  annals  of 
Pittsfield. 


INDEX. 


Adam,  Robert  W.,  The  Eij?ht  Foimtlation 

Men,  17. 
Adam,  Robert  W.,  (16,  120. 
Adam,  William  L.,  Church  Buildings  and 

Furniture,  24. 
Adam,  William  L.,  121. 
Adams,  Miss  Lydia,  '.14. 
Allen,  Mrs.  Eunice  Williams,  38. 
Allen,  Geoi-fTc  Wasliinfjton,  13. 
Allen,  3Irs.  John  F.,  121. 
Allen,  Deacon  Phinchas,  35,  52,  5G,  85,  12i). 
Allen,  Phiiiehas,  •ind.,  129.  / 

Allen,  Jonathan,  38,  12'J. 
Allen,  liev.  Samuel,  60. 
Allen,  Bev.  Thomas,  3,  5.  10,  12,  13,  21,  23 

26,  27,  3),  53,  68,  71,  75,  118,  123,  125,  129. 
Allen,  liev.  William,  14,  61,  71,  123,  125. 
Amherst  College,  102,  112. 
Appendix,  J.  E.  A.  Smith,  119. 
Architects,  29,  37. 
Ashley,  liev.  Jonathan,  10. 
Atwater,  Charles,  120. 
Atwater,  Mrs.  Charles,  121. 

B 

Backus,  Absalom,  50. 

Bacon,  Abigail  {Mrs.  Ezekiel),  126. 

Bacon,  Ezekiel,  126. 

Ba«g,  Clarissa,  128. 

Bailey,  liev.  Rufus  William,  14,  71, 113, 123. 

Baker,  Aaron,  5,  6,  7,  17,  21,  123,  130. 

Baker,  Miss  Amanda,  21,  130. 

Ballard,  Harlan  II.,  Parson  Allen's 
Shorthand,  76. 

Baptists,  43,  46. 

Barker,  Hon.  James  M.,  Historical  Rela- 
tions of  Church  to  Town  and  Parish,  39. 

Barker,  Hon.  James  M  ,  121. 

Barker,  J.  V.  &  Bro.,  57. 

Barnard,  Ric-hard,  .50. 

Barr,  Colonel,  33,  122. 

Bartlett,  Kev.  E.  U.,  Address,  108. 

Bartlett,  Jiev.  E.  O.,  123. 

Becket,  Church  of,  3. 

Bells,  30. 

Berkshire  and  Columbia  Missionary  So- 
ciety, 58. 

Bible,  presented  by  American  Committee 
of  Revision,  34, 

Bible,  presented  by  St.  Stephen's  Church, 
34. 

Bidwell,  ffev.  Mr.,  10. 

Bissell,  Miss,  Amelia,  90. 

Bissell,  Deacon  Josiah,  53,  91,  92. 

Bolton,  Archelaus,  88. 

Bowl  of  Silver,  35. 

Brace,  liev.  Joab,  125, 129. 

Brattle,  Miss  Julia,  67,  90. 

Brewster,  Henry  A.,  66,  120,  121. 

Brewster,  Br.  John  M.,  128. 

Brewster,  Dr.  Oliver  B.,  128. 


Brinsmade,  liev.  II.  N.,  14,  113,  123. 

Brooks,  Reuben,  50. 

Brown,  George,  126. 

Brown,  Major  Henry  C,  65,  88. 

Brown,  Mrs.  Henry  Clinton,  126. 

Brown,  C'ofew6/ John,  117. 

Br(jwn,  Miss  Mary,  90. 

Buell,  Mrs.  Agnes  Center,  128. 

Buell,  James,  50,  87,  128. 

Building  the    First    Chuucu,    John    C. 

West,  54. 
Buildings    and    Furniture,  William  L. 

Adam,  24. 
Bulfinch,  Charles,  29. 
Bull,  Mi.-iS  C.  W.,  129. 
Bull,  Miss  Leila,  129. 
Burbank,  Abraham,  .53. 
Burbank,  Mrs.,  90,  128. 
Burlitt,  Mrs.  C.  E.,  129. 
Burna]),  Gaius  C,  66. 
Burt,  Seaborn,  50. 
Bushnell,  Rev.  Horace,  19. 


Cad  well.  Royal  D.,  50. 

Cad  well,  Timothy,  50. 

Cadwell,  William,  50. 

Campbell,  Miss  Abby  M.,  121. 

Cami)bell,  Miss  Betsey,  64,  90. 

Campbell,  David,  37,  fO,  57,  87. 

Campbell,  George,  127. 

Campbell,  George  W.,  37,  55,  57. 

Campbell,  Mrs.  Geoi-ge  W.,  121. 

Campbell,  Lucy  Lafllii,  127. 

Campbell,  Matilda  Jenkins,  127. 

Campbell,  Br.  Robert,  36,  90. 

Campbell,  Richard,  50. 

Campbell,  Winthrop,  90. 

Carter,  President  Franklin,  Address, 

111. 
Case,  Eliphalet,  50. 
Catalogue  of  portraits  exhibited  at  the 

Anniversary  Celebration,  1889,  12(i. 
Carver,  Mrs.  Calvin,  20. 
Celebration  of  the  125th  Anniversary  of 

First  Church,  J.  B.  A.  Smith,  119. 
Center,  Ebenezer,  50. 
Chapel,  38. 

Chapman,  Daniel,  50,  96. 
Chapman,  Ichabod,  91,  93. 
Chapman,  Mrs.,  84. 
Charities,  George  N.  Dutton,  58. 
Chesley,  I.  F..  121. 
Chickerlng,  Henry,  66,  129. 
Childs,  ///■.  Henry  H.,  129. 
Childs,  Jonathan,  .50. 
Childs,  Miss  Mary,  64. 
Childs,  Rachel,  87. 
Childs,  Colonel  Thomas,  87. 
Childs,  Dr.  Timothy,  29,  71,  85,  87. 
Childs,  Mrs.  Timothy,  61,  84. 
Churchill,  Charles,  128. 
Churchill,  Charlotte  M.  Francis,  128. 


132 


Churcliill,  Juhn,  2\,  50,  115. 

Clapp,  Mrs.  Betsey,  57. 

Clapp,  Edwin,  5-i,  137. 

Clapp,  Elizabeth  Campbell,  137. 

Clapp,  Jasuii,  37,  50,  50,  85,  127. 

Clapp,  Mfv.  Jason,  37,  80. 

Clapp,  Thaddeus,  127. 

Clapp,  J//'.v.  Thaddeus,  37. 

Clark,  3frs.  Hannah,  128. 

Clark,  Jemima,  21. 

Clark,  3fr.':.  Maria  Brattle,  129. 

Clark,  Nathan,  50. 

Clark,  J^ev.  Mr.,  5. 

Clark,  Yale,  05. 

Clary,  Mrs.  David  A.,  121. 

Clock,  30. 

Cogswell,  Electa  Lawrence,  127. 

Cogswell,  MrK.,  84. 

CoKSwell,  Ricliard  Colt,  127. 

Collins,  Ambrose,  50. 

Collins,  Daniel,  5. 

Colt,  Electa  Campbell,  127. 

Colt,  Miss  E.  G.,121. 

Colt,  Ezeklel  Hoot,  57,  85, 127. 

Colt,  Miss  Fanny,  121. 

Colt,  Henry.  57,  121,  127. 

Colt,  James  D.,  50,  127. 

Colt,  Lucy  B.,  129. 

Colt,  Mrs.  Robert,  127. 

Colt,  Samuel  D.,  50,  8'j,  139. 

Colt,  Sarah  Itoot,  127. 

Colt,  William  W.,  50. 

Colton,  Ezra,  50. 

C^ommunion  Service,  35,  80. 

Cooke,  Mrs.  Rose  Terry,  99. 

Cooley,  Miss  Mary  G.,  121. 

Cooley,  William  B.,  57,  128. 

Confession  of  Faith,  6. 

Coral  Workers,  bii. 

Covenant  of  First  Church,  8. 

Creed  of  the  First  Church,  6. 

Crocker,  John  R.,  52. 

Crowfoot  (Crofoot,  or  Crofut),  Daniel,  51, 

53,  90. 
Croloor,  Stephen,  5,  0,  7,  10,  17,  18,  19,  SO, 

25,  20,  34,  91,  93,  133. 
Ci'ofoot,  Mrs.  07,  92,  93. 
Crowfoot,  Simeon,  77,  78,  81,  84. 


D 


Danforth,  Miss  Harriet,  01. 

Danft)rth.  Joshua,  09. 

Danforth,  liev.  J.  N.,  73. 

Danforth,  Salome,  97. 

Danker,  Dr.  Albert,  123. 

Davis,  Miss  Elizabeth  D.,  130,  121. 

Davis,  Henry  U.,  .52,  00. 

Day,  liev.  George  E.,  34,  123. 

Deming  (mispi-inted  Dunning),  13. 

Dewey,  Erastus,  127. 

Dewey,  Matilda  M..  127. 

Dexter,  Nathaniel,  50. 

Diekinson,  Israel,  12. 

Dickinson,  John,  128. 

Dickinson,  Mrs.,  39,  137. 

Dillingham,  J(jhn,  05. 

Division  in  the  Church,  13,  40,  00,  69. 

Drake,  Frederick,  .50. 

Dunham,  Miss  Helen,  37. 

Dunham,  James  H.,  Missionaries  from  the 

First  Church,  90. 
Dunham,  Deacon  James  II.,  37.  03,  04,  GO. 
Dunham,  Mrs.,  84. 
Dunnhig  (Deming),  Solomon,  13. 
Durwiu,  Alanson,  .50. 
Durwin,  Ephraim,  50. 


Dutt(m,  Frank  W.,  130. 

DuTTON,  Geouge  N.,  Charities  and  ChaiM 

table  Organizations,  .58. 
Dutton,  George  N.,  00,  131. 
Dwight,  Henry  W.,  00. 

E 

Easton,  Col.  James,  11. 

Education  Society,  58. 

Edwards,  Thankful,  32. 

Eells.  Kdward.  .50. 

Eidlitz,  Leopold,  37,  50. 

Ely,  Elislia.  50. 

Ensign,  Charles  L.,  30. 

Ensign,  Jacob,  5,  0,  7,  8,  17,  19,  21,  123. 

Ensign,  John,  19. 

Episcopalians,  43,  40,  88,  112,  123. 


Fairbanks,  Jabez  W.,  33,  138. 

Fairfield,  Enoch,  50. 

Fairfield,  Hannah,  138. 

Fairfield,  John,  50. 

Fairfield,  Joseph,  fO. 

Fairfield,  Nathaniel,  12,  50. 

Fenn,  Curtis  T.,  129. 

Feini,  Mas-.  Curtis  T.,  01,  127. 

Fires,  33. 

First  Meeting-House  (Interior),  37. 

Fletclier.  Prof.  A.  M.,  131,  133. 

Foot,  Mary  Dewey,  137. 

FouMER  Days,  Mrs.  H.  M.  Plunkett,  84. 

Foster,  Joel,  91. 

"  Foundation-Men,"  5,  0.  7,  9,  17. 

Fowler,  Stephen,  29,  .50,  71. 

Fowler,  Wells,  50. 

Francis,  Edward  S.,  130. 

Francis,  Family,  21. 

Fkancis,  Deacon  James,  Address,  22. 

Franc;is,  Deacon  James,  32,  115,  138. 

Francis,  Captain.  William,  115, 110,  117. 

Frazer,  Kate,  90. 

Freeman,  Isaac,  50. 

Free-Will  Society,  01. 

Funeral  of  Dr.  Todd,  100. 


G 


Garn.sey,  Rev.  Ebenezer.  5. 

Ginn,  James,  127 

Ginn,  Mary  F.,  127. 

Gold,  Miss  Martha,  88. 

Gold,  Thomas,  50,  88,  90. 

Gold,  Mrs.  Thomas,  01. 

Goodale,  Isaac,  50. 

Goodman,  Deacon,  Titus,  50,  85. 

Goodman,  Mrs.  Titus,  84. 

Goodrich,  Ma^jor  Butler,  138. 

Goodrich,  Charles,  13,  25,  29,  31,  30,  50.  09, 

92,  90. 
Goodrich,  Electa,  138. 
Goodrich,  Mrs.  Josiah,  138. 
Goodrich,  Levi,  38.  55,  ,50,  85,  90,  13vS. 
Granger,  Elizabeth,  137. 
Great  Barrington,  Church  of ,  3. 


H 


Ilachc-no-so  Society,  62. 
Harding,  IL>pt\  38. 
Harding,  Malcom,  38. 
Harding,  Mrs.  Nancy  Campbell,  38.  137. 
llAKUiN(i,    William     G.,     The     Sunday 
School,  63. 


133 


Harding,  William  G.,  38,  64,  66. 

Haskell,  Reuben,  50. 

Haskell,  Timothy,  50. 

Hastings,  Thomas,  71,  90. 

Hawkins,  William  J.,  l;i6. 

Hayden,  Moses,  Jr.,  50. 

Hemenway,  Chester,  128. 

Herriek,  'Dosia,  94. 

Hill,  Key.  Charles  J.,  Address,  105. 

]linsdale,  James  H.,  121. 

Hinsdale,  Mr.^.  James  H.,  120,  121. 

Hinsdale,  Nancy.  128. 

Hinsdale,  Theodore,  Jr.,  50. 

Historical  Relations  or  Church  to  Town 

AND  Parish,  Hun.  James  M.  Barker,  39. 
Hoadly,  John  C,  56. 
Hollister,  Aurelia,  90. 
HoUister,  William,  50,  87. 
Holmes,  Dr.  Oliver  Wendell,  80. 
Hooker,  Bev.  Mr:,  10. 
Hoose,  Harry,  89. 
Hoose,  Sally,  90. 
Hopkins,  Daniel,  5. 
Hopkins,  Mark,  £>.  D.,  100. 
Hopkuis,  Rev.  Samuel,  6,  8,  9,  10,  126. 
Howard,  Eliza,  97. 
Howard,  Welcome  S.,  97. 
Hubbard,  Daniel,  5,  6,  7,  8,  17,  20,  123,  129. 
Hubljard,  Eon.  Henry,  127. 
Hubljard,  Z'««ton  James,  115,  118. 
Hubbard,  Mrs.  James,  entertains  Indians, 

117. 
Hubbard,  Lieut.  James,  21. 
Hubbard,  Mary  Warner,  127. 
Hubbard,  Paul,  20. 
Hubbard,  William,  127. 
Hulbert,  Charles,  129. 
Hulbert,  Hon.  John  W.,  50. 
Hull,  James  W.,  120. 
Hull,  Mary,  128. 
Humphrey,  Edward,  64. 
Humphrey,  Dr.  Heniaii,  61,  63,  69,  71.  85, 

90,  102,  112.  123,  125,  126. 
Humphrey,  Mrs.  Heman,  129. 
Humphrey,  James,  64. 
Humphrey,  Miss  S.  W.,  121. 
Hungerford,  Isaiah,  50. 
Huntington,  liec.  Enoch,  5. 
Hyde,  llev.  Dr.,  9. 

I 

Hidians,  115,  116. 

Ingersoll,  Captuin  Jared,  29,  128. 

Ingersoll,  Mi.ss  Nancy,  65,  93,  94,  128. 

Inquiry-Meetings,  91. 

Ives,  Miss  Abigail,  87. 


James,  Daniel,  50. 
James,  Henry,  50. 
Janes,  Colonel,  71. 
Jenkins,  Kev.  Jonathan  L.,  Introductory 

Address,  3 
Jenkins,  liev.  Jonathan  L.,  120,  121,  123. 
Jennings,  Catherine,  98. 
Johnson,  Rufus,  .50. 
Jones,  Sergeant,  20. 

K 

Keeler,  Benjamin,  50 
Keeler,  Joseph,  50. 
Keller  (Keeler),  Elias,  50. 
Kellogg,  Austin  W.,  127. 


Kellogg,  Mrs.  C.  L.,   Paper,   Old  Usages 

and  Prominent  Professors,  87. 
Kelldgic,  Mrs.  C.  L.,  121. 
Kelldgu-,  }lon.  E.  H.,  55,  57,  127. 
Kennedy,  Alexander,  120. 
Kent,  Benjamin,  .50. 
Key  to  Parson  Allen's  Shorthand,  80. 
Kilbourn,  Mary,  126. 
Kittredge,  William,  50. 

L 

Ladies'  Benevolent  Society,  61. 

Ladies'  Prayer-Meeting,  61. 

La  Fayette,  129. 

Earned,  Eunice  Williams,  129. 

Earned,  Colonel  ^imon,  72. 

Earned,  M)s.  Simon,  61. 

Earned,  Sylvester,  72. 

Laws,  Early,  of  Massachusetts  regarding 

Churches,  etc.,  40. 
Lecture- Room,  32. 
Little,  Woodbridge,  12,  50,  51, !  8. 
Luce,  Benjamin,  50. 
Luce,  Jaslmb  B.,  50. 
Lyman,  Emma,  90. 

M 

Maiming  Family,  21. 

Manning,  Mrs.  Mary  S.,  127. 

Maiu^uand,  Henry,  Address,  99. 

Marquand,  Mrs.  Henry  G.,  38. 

Marsh,  Dwight  Whitney,  97. 

Martin,  liev.  Ebenezer,  6,  9. 

Martin,  Calvin,  51,  52,  64,  85,  89,  128. 

Mason,  Cyrus,  93 

Maynard,  Deacon  Eli,  34,  96. 

McKay,  Gordon,  54,  55,  57. 

McKay,  Samuel  M.,  51,  52. 

Mead,  Stephen,  50. 

Mead,  Ephraim,  50. 

Memorial  Society,  62. 

Merriman,  My.,  37,  71. 

Merriam,  Daniel,  129. 

Merrick,  Joseph,  71. 

Merrill,  Frances  A.  Stanton,  128. 

Merrill,  Captain  Hosea,  128. 

Merrill,  Phillips,  128. 

Merritt,  Joseph,  50. 

Miller,  William  {Second  Adventist),  22 

Mills,  Arthur  A.,  121. 

Mills,  Dr.  Charles  Drake,  128. 

Ministerial  Fund,  William  K.  Plunkett. 

51. 
Missionaries  from  the  First   C'hurcu, 

Deacon  James  II.  Dunham,  96. 
Missionary  Societies,  .58,  62. 
Mosely,  Mr.  Thomas  65. 
Mother.  The  New  England,  100. 
Music,  90,  121. 

N 

Neill.  PiiOF.  H.  HuMPHUEr,  Address,  101. 
Newell,  Aaron,  50. 
Newell,  Benjamin,  50. 
"  New  Measures,"  91. 
Newton,  Edward  A.,  64,  89,  113. 
Newton.  Miss  Elizabeth  S.,  28. 

o 

Old  Elm,  28. 

Old  Usages  and  Prominent  Professors, 
Paper  by  Mrs.  C.  L.  Kellogg. 


134 


Ordination  of  First  Pastor,  10. 
Organs,  3(5,  57. 

Organization  of  tlie  Cburch,  3. 
O'feuUivau,  Mary  L.,  26. 


Paddock,  Mrs.  Anna  Todd,  66,  130,  121. 

Parker,  Jolin  C,  127. 

Parker,  Misn  Sophia  Churchill,  122. 

Parker,  Linus,  127. 

Parson  Allen's  tJuoKTUANU,  Harlan  II. 
Ballard,  77. 

Parsonage,  53. 

Parsons,  Eljenezer,  98. 

Parsons,  Justin,  'JS. 

Partridge,  H.  W.,  121,  122. 

Partridge,  Misfi  06. 

Partridge,  Jolin,  121,  128. 

Partridge,  Mrs.  Jolin,  128. 

Partridge,  William,  50,  121. 

Pease,  Caplain  1<.  W.,  129. 

Peck,  Eli  jail,  127. 

Pet-k,  Henry,  50. 

Peck,  Israel,  50.  * 

Peck,  J   &  E.,  57. 

Peck,  Jabez  L.,  66,  121,  120. 

Peck,  Miss  Martlia  A.,  121. 

Peirson,  Deacon  Henry  M.,  122. 

Pepoon,  Daniel,  50. 

Plielps,  Professor  Austin,  22. 

Phelps,  Eleanor,  128. 

Phelps,  Elizabeth  Stuart,  22. 

Phelps,  Elnathan,  5,  6,  7,  8,  17,  22,  123. 

plielps,  Jacob,  128. 

Phelps,  Lemuel,  5,  6,  7,  8,  17,  23,  123. 

Phelps,  William,  5,  6,  7,  8,  17,  22,  123. 

Phillips,  Sarah,  128. 

Pingree,  Miss  Calliei-ine,  121. 

Pingree,  Mrs.  Thomas  P.,  121. 

pittsfield.  Settlement  of,  3. 

Pittsfleld,  Vt.,  4,  42. 

Plunkett,  Mils.  H.  M  ,  Former  Days,  84. 

Plunkett,  Thomas  P.,  55,  57, 128. 

Pllfnkett,  William  R,  The  Congrega- 
tional Ministerial  Fund,  51. 

Plunkett,  William  R.,  53,  67,  120,  121. 

Poll-Parishes.  44. 

Pomeroy,  Fanny  S.,  126. 

Pomeroy,  Lemuel,  .50,  57,  85.  88,  129. 

Pomeroy,  Mrs.  Lemuel,  61,  129. 

Pomeroy,  Miss  Olivia,  64. 

Pomeroy,  Theodore,  129. 

Pomeroy,  Quintus,  50. 

Pomeroy,  Silas  H.,  121. 

Pontoosuck  (Pontoosuc,  or  Poontoosuck), 
3,  25,  41,  42. 

Portrait-Gallery,  124, 126. 

Power,  Jolm  T.,  121. 

Power,  Mrs.  Jolm  T.,  121. 

Prater  FOR  Church  AND  Town.  (Poem), 
Captain  ISIorris  Scluiff,  2. 

Prayer-Meetings,  91. 

Puiiderson,  liev.  Thomas,  123. 


Q 


Quakers,  43,  46. 
(iuincy,  Josiah,  89. 


Redfield,  MUs,  18. 
Reed,  Zebulon,  50. 
Relics,  129. 
Revivals,  91. 


Rice,  Deacon,  122. 

Roljinson,  Deacon.  123. 

Rockwell,  Hon.  Julius,  55,  57,  128. 

Root,  Abner,  50. 

Root,  Graliam  A  ,  128. 

Root,  Henry,  128. 

R<jol,  John  K.,  90. 

Root,  Josiah,  50. 

Root,  Moses,  .50. 

Root,  Colonel  Oliver,  115,  116,  117. 

Root,  JJr.  Oliver  S.,  138. 

Root,  Samuel,  127. 

Root,  Thankful,  128. 

Root,  W^ishingtoii,  128. 

Howlaud.  J!i  r.  Dr..  9. 

Russell,  Soh.nion  L.,  S.5,  127,  128. 

Russell,  Solomon  N.,  120. 

Russell,  Mrs.  S.  William,  127. 

Russell,  Zeno,  129. 


''Sabbath-School  Assof-.iation "  of  Pitts- 
field,  63. 

Sackett,  Caplain  Daniel,  115. 

Sackett,  Erastus,  50. 

St.  Steplien's  Cliurch,  34,  64,  123. 

Salary  of  early  Ministers,  43 

Sanford,  John,  .50. 

ScHAFF,  Captain  Morris,  'Poem),  Prayer 
for  Church  and  Town,  2. 

ScholHeld,  Arthur,  50. 

Sears,  Calvin,  50. 

Selvey,  Thomas,  50. 

Severance,  Jemima,  94. 

Shearer,  Joseph,  36,  51,  52. 

Shipton,  Deacon.  122. 

Shumway,  Riifus,  50. 

Slocum,  Edward  T.,  66,  121. 

Slocum,  Mrs.  Harriet  Palmer,  66. 

Smith,  liev.  Cottou  Mather,  4. 

Smith,  J.  E.  A.,  Keport  of  tlie  Celebration 
of  the  125th  Anniversary  of  First  ChiU'ch, 
119. 

Smith,  Joseph  E.  A.,  18. 

Snutli,  Milo,  50. 

Snyder,  La'titia,  76. 

Stearns,  Deacon  Daniel,  22. 

Stiles,  Ephraim,  5,  6,  7,  8,  17,  19,  20.  50,  133. 

Stiles,  Ezra,  {President  of  Yale  College),  20. 

Stiles,  Mary,  127. 

Stiles.  Zebediah,  50. 

Stiles,  Zebulon,  29. 

Stockbridge,  Church  of.  3. 

Stoddard,  Israel,  12. 

Stoddard,  Mrs.,  29. 

Strong,  Ashbel,  50.  58. 

Strong,  Lucinda  Dickinson,  128. 

Strong,  Mrs.,  35,  61. 

Strong,  Jiev  Thomas,  10. 

Strong,  Thomas  B.,  50,  51,  53,  128. 

Sunday-School,  William  G.  Harding,  63. 


Taft,  Henry  W.,  18.  120,  122. 

Tappan,  A'ei'.  Henry  P.,  14,  64,  70,  71,  123, 

125. 
Taylor,  Eliza,  127. 
Taylor,  Henry,  50. 
Taylor,  Lucy,  97. 
Taylor,  Deacon  Thomas,  97,  129. 
Thompson,  Matilda,  128. 
Todd,  Mrs.  John,  15. 
Todd,  Dr.  John,  15,  31,  32,  34,  .35,  54.  60,  71, 

89,  95,  105, 106,  113,  123,  125,  126. 


135 


Tompson,  Bev.  Amos,  5. 
Tread  well,  Prentice.  38. 
Tremain,  Nathaniel,  50. 
Tucker,  Miss  Caroline,  121. 

u 

Union  Parish,  32,  46,  50,  51. 

V 

Van  Schaack,  Henry.  112. 
Varney,  John,  37. 

w 

Ward,  Isaac,  50. 
Warren,  Dr.  James,  63. 
Warriiier,  James,  90. 
Warriner,  Jeremy,  ."iO. 
Warriner,  John  R.,  52,  67,  120. 
Warriner,  Lyman,  90. 
Warriner,  Miss  Maria,  121, 
Warriner,  Ralph,  50. 
Warriner,  Solomon,  122. 
Watson,  Elkanah,  50. 
Webster,  Daniel,  89. 
Weller,  Mr.  85. 

Wellington,  Mrs.  Hiram  B.,  121. 
Wells,  Clara,  127. 
Wendell,  Oliver,  .35. 
West,  Abel,  128. 
West,  Charles  E.,  Paper,  68. 
West,  Frederick  T.,  60. 
West,  Gilbert,  67. 
West,  Ira,  50. 

West,  John  C,  A  Few  Facts  concerning 
the  Building  of  the  First  Cliurch,  54. 


West,  John  C,  36,  38,  121. 
Weston,  Jonathan,  .50. 
West,  Rev.  Stephen,  6,  9,  125. 
Weston,  James,  "The  f'orapleat  Stenog- 
rapher." 81. 
Wetmore,  T)r.  Charles  H.,  97. 
Wilbur,  William.  50. 
Willard,  Elias,  3. 
Willard,  Josiah,  .50. 
Williams  College,  111. 
Williams.  John  Chandler,  50,  51,  .52. 
Williams,  Mrs.  John  Chandler,  28,  127. 
Wilhams,  Vol.  William,  10, 11. 
Willis,  Nathan,  51,  .52,  127. 
Willis,  Mrs.  Lucy,  127. 
Wilson,  James,  121. 
Wilson,  Solomon,  127. 
White,  David,  97. 

White,  Mr.^.  Elizabeth  (Allen).  68,  79,  129. 
White,  Enoch,  50,  97. 
Whitney,  Appleton,  .50. 
Wliitney,  Mrs.  Mercy  Partridge,  128. 
Whitney.  Samuel.  96. 
Wood,  Moses  H.,  66. 
Woodbridge,  liev.  Timothy,  10. 
Wright,  Josiah,  10,  11. 
Wright,  Titus,  50. 


Yeomans,  Rev.  Alfred,  Rev.  John  Wil- 
liams Yeomans,  75. 

Yeomans,  George,  76. 

Yeomans,  Rev.  John  Williams,  by  Rev. 
Alfred  Yeomans,  75. 

Yeomans,  Rer.  John  Williams,  14.  71,  123. 

Younians,  Rw.  John  Williams  (misprinted 
for  Yeomans),  14,  71. 

Young  Men's  Working  League,  62. 


mi^K.'i\*t.L\.t  H  t  STATIONER, 


<''^.: 


